Wolf Children
by omegafire17
Summary: Maybe you'll laugh when the story's told, or write it off as a fairy tale. It couldn't possibly be true. I mean, how could it? But every word is true, all of it. This is a story about one family; a determined mother, a half-wolf father, and two very different children.
1. Friendship

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form - those wondering what will be different, well, you'll soon find out. For now though, it starts where you might expect- but it will jump from point-to-point like the movie, as closely as can do anyway.**

* * *

It all began with a chance meeting.

...

Hana worked, making sure to take notes from the instructor, but her gaze kept wandering for some reason. Other students weren't taking this anywhere near seriously - a couple were giggling together, and this one guy was reading under the table. Making a little motion, she continued her note-taking - maybe the others were thinking they could get by on the exams alone, but she needed to make sure she was ready. A college degree here, with some scholarship help, would allow her to earn a living in this world-

-the thought made her pause.

She should be proud, happy of what she's accomplished... but instead, all she got was a sense that she was missing something. Pragmatically, it made sense to go to college, and a scholarship was proof that she was good- but she neither liked the idea nor disliked it, of what a degree could bring her.

And she didn't know why that was...

Hana's gaze wandered again, almost going back to her notes afterward, before she noticed something very odd.

This guy - white shirt w/ open collar, black hair - he was diligently taking notes... without a textbook.

 _"Wait, I don't think I've seen him before"_ she thought, wondering about that. _"He looks... out-of-place here."_

Or that was the feeling she had anyway.

...

At the end of the lesson, Hana passed her slip onto the podium, alongside the others of course. However, as she turned to walk on, she noticed someone moving in the back... the guy from before, leaving through the other door.

She was certain he hadn't put a slip on here.

Having only two seconds, she looked at the batch of blank slips, then made up her mind and took one. Moving quickly, she went through the door as well, only in time to see a glimpse of him pass by- she ran forward, starting to pant a little, but which way did he go? Then remembering the only way down to the main level was the closest staircase, she chose that direction, and found him going down that same flight of stairs. "Um, excuse me" she breathed quickly, catching her breath, only to make a sound.

He slowly turned toward her in that moment, one hand in his pocket, and the other carrying his notebook.

But his gaze, the set of his mouth...

"Oh" Hana breathed, blinking. "Uh, you didn't fill out a slip" she continued, "They'll mark you down as absent if you don't. I grabbed one for you-"

"Don't bother" the man whispered, his voice deep and- and lonely. "I'm not a student here."

She stopped, letting out a breath-

"I shouldn't have come here" he continued, before moving forward again. "See ya."

Hana could only stare after him, confused- but above all worried, as she didn't know what to do. Her body slowly moved on it's own after a few seconds, taking her through the halls, while Hana wondered if maybe she should have gone after him anyway. By the time she got close to the entrance, she looked up, only to pause- it was him again. But, unsure whether to approach or not, she stood by that pillar... she didn't know why she watched, or how she felt there was something more.

A little group of children ran past the man, laughing as they played, but one lagged behind the others - he fell down, and began to cry. But the man noticed almost instantly, and he quickly moved over, pulling the boy to his feet-

She breathed out.

-and gently patted the boy's head.

Still watching, Hana stared at the back of his head, as the other kids wondered who he was... she found herself asking the same question. She must've been staring for a minute before coming back to focus-

-and she decided, on the spot, there wasn't anything to lose by trying again!

Hana ran after him, _just_ catching up by the gates, slightly panting from the effort. "Please, wait a minute" she called to him; he stopped where he was, with barely a glance back. Well... uh... mmh; she dug into her bag, "That class you were sitting in is pretty tough, even with a textbook" she breathed, pulling out her own. "So I was thinking that, if you wanted to come back for another lecture, maybe... maybe we could share mine?" she asked, holding her textbook in front of her.

He didn't react, or say anything.

Unsure, her arms slowly fell downward, but she didn't move.

His brow slowly furrowed... then, just as slowly, he turned toward her.

Seeing him properly for the first time, Hana took in his face - he had a rugged look, with some slight stubble. The lines of his expression, mouth, and eyes- they still presented the same feeling she'd gotten when he spoke; loneliness. His black hair, while longer than many guys, didn't fall past his neck... though it did seem to sharpen into points in places, when hanging down anyway. One eye was hidden by that hair, but the one she could see was blue, looking at her intently. It took her a moment to realize he was deciding how serious she was, or something along those lines...

But, what could she do? What should she say?

The man slowly let out a breath, closing his eyes. "I don't know" he said - that same voice; she could feel every word, "I don't know that I'll be back."

"...but, if you do come back, my seat will be open for you" she assured him, gently.

He didn't answer that... but, after a small sound, he turned to leave again.

Hana jolted, almost to go after him, but stopped herself in mid-motion - if she pushed any harder, she might only destroy what chance she had, and drive him away.

 _"Still"_ she thought, slowly bringing up her hand to her heart, _"who is this guy? I've barely known him five minutes, and yet... I feel something. But, I don't even know his name..."_

/

Hana still had thoughts about him, all throughout the week - she hoped he might come, and that they could be friends, but she never saw him at the gate or the classroom. The worry caming to a head near the end, where she'd not only picked at her lunch, but she couldn't focus on note-taking during class - by the third attempt, she stopped, slowly looking at the window sadly-

-wait, what was that?

A figure ran across the courtyard in a hurry... wearing a white shirt, with dark hair...

With barely a breath, Hana recognized him, and (relieved) quickly moved to make a spot for him. Barely ten seconds later, he slipped in and took her previous seat, propping up her textbook like he'd been there the entire time.

The instructor barely noticed, if at all.

The man slowly looked at her; Hana gave a little smile, when she looked back.

He had a tiny reaction to that, unsure... but then he moved closer, the better to for them both to take advantage of her textbook. She moved closer with no issue, and he didn't seem embarrassed either, where soon the note-taking share began. The more they worked, the more it became clear to her that he was a nice guy at heart; his helping the child from before had hinted that. Right now, he was more self-conscious, and unsure if a quick-learner, but he managed to work well with her. Only his loner shield remained...

Well, it was only the first step thus far.

Hana just hummed, thinking she'd made a good start.

She remained that way throughout the lesson + note-taking, even while they were assigned work, as expected in a college. When she asked if he had the books mentioned in the assignment, he slowly shook his head - then she suggested a quick trip to the library, which surprised him. But he did agree, as they needed these books, and went with her to the library (he was a quiet one as expected, but not afraid to make conversation, if he thought the topic would work). They got in easily with her class card, him right behind her... she waited till the desk workers were busy, before quickly motioning to sneak forward quietly. The moment they were safely out of sight, she quickly looked back, relieved and glad that they hadn't been caught-

"You surprise me" the man noted beside her, in an undertone.

A little jolted, Hana nonetheless smiled bright (to his surprise), even happier to hear the subtle approval in his voice - but of course, they had books to find, so she led him throughout the shelves. Soon they were in the same section together, going across book titles, pulling some down and skim-reading for their assignment- it was enough to make her smile again.

...

That good start soon started paying off, even just a little.

"So, what do you do for fun?" Hana asked softly... though, she then forgot the rules of their little 'game'. She just wanted to know so much about him, that it kinda over-spilled: "And what are your favorite foods? Have you ever, you know, fallen in love before?"

He slowly chuckled a bit. "Wait your turn" he chided, gently mild, making her breathe out; there she went again. "Now... why were you named 'Hana'?"

"Curious, right?" she breathed, remembering it all easily. "The day I was born, my dad noticed a cosmos flower blooming in the backyard. Nobody had planted it there; it just popped up. That's why he named me 'Hana', because it means 'flower'."

Then she hummed a bit, more soft, but also many other things as the memories came. "He wanted me to smile all the time, just like that cosmos flower - that way, whenever things didn't work out, I could give life my best smile and get through it" she continued. "Crazy as it sounds, it always seemed to work... mhh... when my father died, I smiled ear-to-ear all through his funeral. One of my relatives scolded me, in front of everyone, saying that I was disrespecting his memory."

Hana slowly glanced down, as they continued to walk. "Maybe it was disrespectful" she whispered, looking ahead a little. "I dunno."

He slowly looked forward too, having been glancing at her before. "Naahh" he drew out, sorta playful, "I think you were perfect."

Hearing that, she gave off a little laugh, "Hmm, good to know" she answered, just a little softer. Hana settled her hands behind her back as they walked, while he didn't seem surprised at all... still, he was opening up to her a little, though it was the first day.

It seems she's found a good friend, and Hana didn't think she could be happier.

* * *

Soon weeks went by, and then months - in that time, Hana learned a number of things about him, such as his usual nightly stopping place being the coffee cake shop. She'd even made it a little ritual to see what he was doing for a few seconds/a minute, before she ran up and they started walked together, doing various things. Yet always, one thing would slip her mind until too late to ask, every single time; his name. But also, it didn't feel right for her to ask, especially since he didn't volunteer it. She wanted to know, but his silence on the subject made her hesitate, thinking there might be 'issues'; she didn't have any right to pry into those-

She still felt a little worried though, at times wondering if she should or shouldn't.

On their latest walk:

"Every apartment is like it's own little world" he breathed, looking around the buildings. "Some families have money, some don't... five people live in that one" he pointed out, she breathing out at this. "And there, just two" he continued, stopping by this cluster while she slowed. "Some full of kids, others all old folks..."

Hana stepped closer to him. "How do you know all that?" she asked, but gentle. "Did you help their families move in?"

"Not all, no" he answered with a little smile, looking at her for a moment, before he returned his gaze to the buildings. "But when you're a mover, word gets around about who lives where. What kind of people, how many, game-changing details like kids, whether the place allows pets or not, or even something as simple as heating, or beds" he outlined. "It's a huge market out there, even just for this part of town, let alone all of Japan."

Hana looked out at the view too, smiling; it truly was beautiful, especially with the night lights.

"And to think, it's all a stepping stone, these apartments" he continued. "Stepping stones toward permanent homes, where the people raise families, pursue careers, or whatever strikes their interest."

Kinda like her- college scholarship, a part-time job, all with an apartment. But it still lacked some kind of excitement- no, she couldn't focus on that right now.

"It'd be nice to have a home" he whispered-

-Hana slowly breathed out, and her heart beat faster. His tone further spoke to her of loneliness... but... there was something else there too, very tentative, maybe even nervous...

"A place where I belong" he continued, gradually drawing her attention more and more. "To kick off my shoes, give my face a good washing, sit back in a comfy chair... must be nice. I could build a bookshelf, and once I fill it with books, what's to stop me from building another? You can't put a price on that kind of freedom" he finished, wistful.

His words- they built up images in her head, about what he might have dealt with, and reasons behind why. But above all was the image of this strong man, yearning for softness yet alone for a long time, still being himself along the way-

Just as he finished, Hana smiled, slowly looking out at the view again.

"I could belong there too, if you don't mind the company" she whispered softly.

Hana saw his expression, if for a moment: shock, mainly the good kind, as if he couldn't believe she was sincere (but she was). It didn't remain very long, as he slowly went back to his normal expression, but his silence said to her he'd been affected.

 _"Well, it is a big hint"_ she thought, a little shy. _"Not something you hear everyday."_

/

 _The next night_

When Hana stopped near the coffee cake shop, just as they usually did, she was confused and saddened to see he was nowhere to be found. She had a brief thought back to last night, where he'd tried to tell herself something, but seemed to change his mind before he left; did that have something to do with it? Even if it wasn't though, she refused to leave - she waited, repeatedly warming herself up however she could, even as crowds slowly dispersed + the shops closed. By the end of it, she was sitting against the boarded-up-for-the-night shop, knees to her chest to keep warm.

 _"He will be here."_

And still she waited.

"...Hana."

She didn't move, but his voice- it began to spread warmth through her body.

"I'm so sorry" he breathed again, regret behind his words. "Truly I am."

Seconds passed... she slowly raised her head with a smile; it showed her pleased relief well, or so she thought.

He made a little sound at that, but stepped closer... soon he tentatively offered his hand to her.

Hana took it gently, using his strength to pull herself up- and held on a moment longer than necessary, hmm. He looked at her then, and she might've been blushing slightly this time. "So" she whispered, pretty soft, hanging onto his arm. "Where were you planning on taking me tonight? Just for a walk?"

He slowly looked at his arm, held by her own...

"Yes, actually" he breathed, touching his hand to her arm. "You know that hill, just above this area?" he continued, briefly glancing down again. "With the forest growth + trees?"

"I do" she answered; she'd never been up there before, as it was quite a climb, either by winding roads or straight up the hill - hadn't been time for that with school + her job.

He slowly looked at her again, then back at her arm before he gently extracted it from his own. Hana made a nervous sound; was she being too forward? But instead of saying something, he merely gestured for her to follow him like normal, leaving her to stare after him briefly (then follow). The entire way, she wondered what was going on- she'd made a shy move, and he'd been okay with that until he pushed her away. But at the same time, he hadn't rejected her by saying he didn't feel that way... just to follow him up this path. Hana didn't know what he was planning, but she hoped these mixed signals were just in her head, because she'd seen that he realized what she was doing.

The climb itself was a small wake-up call to her body; it hadn't expected this much exercise all at once. She'd walked a lot, and made sure to stay in shape enough to keep it that way, but this had taken a lot of energy.

The view was so beautiful though; the lights of the city, while not gone entirely, faded away to reveal the night sky's brilliance. The air was noticeably cleaner too as a result, though maybe more chilly now; Hana wrapped her scarf around her mouth a little more. Still, the sight of the city, the sky, even the trees around her were a nice break from the city's aesthetics. She took her time just breathing in and out, trying to take in the smells, the air, no matter how chilly it might be. When she came back to herself, she found him by the nearest tree, about five feet away- but he looked nervous.

"I've never told anyone about this" he whispered, deep voice imbued with effort. "I was scared to- I still am, because it's you... but you deserve to see me for who I am. No, for _what_ I am."

"You're you" she told him gently, sincere.

"Close your eyes" he breathed, nervous. "Please, Hana."

Starting to get a little worried, Hana did so - despite an attempted peek, she kept it that way, for a little while anyway.

"I'm looking, okay?" she breathed, ready...

But once she opened them, her entire world changed.

The man she'd grown close to was transforming before her very eyes. The hand he held in front began to change proportions, becoming longer and thicker, before the knuckles bent, and claws were visible where fingernails had been. His face projected outward at the nose + mouth, very subtly at first, expression never changing once-

Heart beating wildly, Hana just let out a little gasp.

-his eyes closed then, and fur began to grow at a remarkable pace, moving around his neck before going downward. Out from under his hair, wolf ears popped up-

She couldn't look away!

-still his transformation progressed, much of it out of sight now, thanks to the clothes. His fur color had two hues, one white, which covered his face, neck, and moved down his chest - the other was a dark-blue, which covered where his hair had been, with a narrow branch between his eyes. He looked at her then, eyes glinting with a touch of supernatural gold, before even that faded away... leaving him with his natural eye color.

Hana could only gasp again, transfixed!

He slowly sighed- his expressions were more broad now; she could see every tinge of fear, nervousness, and everything else he was feeling! "Look at me, Hana" he whispered, with the exact same voice! "Tell me- what do you see?"

She couldn't answer... yet as the long seconds passed, her first motion wasn't to step back... but forward.

He jolted, fixated on her steps- now he seemed transfixed.

Step-by-step, heart pounding the entire way, Hana walked toward him... her fingers trembled as she lifted them, reaching. His mouth opened slightly, as if to pant, showing his teeth in the process. She saw this, but didn't fear; his heart was still the same now, as it always had been. He would not hurt her... he had been brave enough to share his deepest secret, despite being scared. Bit-by-bit, her fingers touched his fur, a soft, warm trail that covered his body - she must have spent a full minute just threading through it, even as he trembled a little.

"What I- w-what I see..." Hana whispered, stammering from overwhelming emotion, but still she managed a teary smile. "The one... w-whom I'm in love with."

His eyes went completely wide, her words letting out a massive breath he'd built up - she felt it, hot against her face, but she didn't mind. Gently, Hana brought his muzzle down a little, allowing her to kiss his nose, and then to rest her head against him. It felt like minutes, but she felt two big arms slowly encircle her, taking extra care with their claws. She just smiled, tears falling, even as she moved her hands in little motions... she knew he'd been strong, but this fur... it was proof of the gentle, soft side he had.

"You're... you're..." Hana whispered, completely soft.

A moment where his grip on her tightened, in the good way. "I think what I am is obvious" he slowly breathed, a reassuring thrum near her ear.

"And the legends?"

"Changing at the full moon... attacking people... spreading our 'curse' he answered, just as slow before making a sound. "Dusty old myths, bad movies - none of those are true, Hana."

Hana closed her eyes, tears still falling as she buried herself against his fur. "I knew I had nothing to fear."

"You were shocked. You still are" he suddenly breathed, but in disbelief- like things hadn't sunk in yet. "But you're- you're not going to leave me?"

She shook her head, holding onto him tight- she started to shake uncontrollably.

He slowly breathed out- "You're trembling" he whispered, faint, a hand delicately moving across her back.

"I-I"m happy" Hana mumbled, emotions starting to overflow. "P-Please... I m-might pass out soon..."

"What do you need?"

"T-Tell me... t-that you love me too..."

Her emotions were reaching a fever peak... her vision started to blur at the edges...

He moved closer, rubbing against her cheek, panting like a wolf.

"I love you, Hana."

Seconds after that, she passed out with a smile on her face, with happy tear streaks to match.

* * *

 **Gah, this movie, it hits right in the feels... it's not without a few flaws, but it's still a great one. As soon as I saw it, my brain was on overload, making up this retelling.** **Still, much as I'd like to say more about it, I won't - I'd rather let you all guess, and react on it's own merits.**

 **That all being said, I hope you enjoy.**


	2. Love

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

Mhhh... mmph... uhhh...

Slowly, weary, Hana opened her eyes - her vision was fuzzy, but she vaguely registered the ceiling wall.

Almost in slow motion, she remembered-

 _The man she'd grown close to, he changed before her very eyes..._

 _Herself, kissing his nose, and burying her face in his muzzle's fur..._

 _"I love you, Hana..."_

-Hana sat up quickly, panting, finding herself in her own apartment. She was sitting on the bed, the only light that of the moon outside, and everything had been just as she left it.

"Hana."

She breathed out, turning toward the source... there, leaning against her dresser, one knee up with his hand upon it, was him. "Are you okay?" he whispered, worried - he'd turned back to human.

Her heart remained pounding, but his voice- it helped soothe her, and Hana slowly nodded. "Yeah" she whispered back, strangely calm. "I'm okay."

He slowly let out a breath, head hanging down, relieved.

Just then, things came to mind... crazy things... but with her pounding heart, what she'd learned, Hana didn't believe she could think any other way. There was still so much she wanted to know about him, about all the mysteries. But his heart, his feelings... even after he'd transformed, those weren't a mystery to her. Not only sharing his deepest secret despite being afraid, but when she professed her love, he returned it- even now he was returning it, in his own way. She was shocked, but this hadn't changed anything; she knew that deep in her heart, and couldn't imagine ever turning him away.

"Please" Hana whispered, soft and gentle. "Tell me your name."

He breathed out again, surprised... minutes must have passed, but she waited patiently.

A little chuckle. "I must admit, I always found it refreshing, how you never asked for my name" he admitted, faint-but-gentle, "I've never known anyone who was fine with that. Why do you want to know now?"

Slowly, Hana glanced at herself... her scarf + coat, she wasn't wearing them; he must have put them away. It brought a little smile; how sweet of him.

Her hands started moving, and she gradually took off the hooded pink shirt... the white one soon followed...

He hitched, entirely shocked, but couldn't look away - she felt his gaze the entire time, heart pounding, but she didn't stop.

"Why?" she whispered, breathing a little heavier; halfway through. "Because, I'd like to know... what name to call out..."

He gasped, nearly losing his balance, clinging to her dresser's lower handles as he stared at her.

"Y-You're serious?"

Hana slowly nodded. "And please" she continued to whisper, "I'd like to l-lay with you, like that... b-before it all starts."

He didn't say anything, nor did she hear a sound... by the time she finished, completely bare before him, she glanced up.

Slowly, very tentatively, he moved toward her - before her eyes, he changed again. His limbs slipped out of his clothes as he became a wolf, fur rippling across his body, but his gaze remained only on her. He stopped just two feet away, his fur color almost blending into the night, where he wasn't lit by the moon.

Carefully, his claw came closer and closer, before gently caressing her cheek, "Are you scared, Hana?" he whispered, nervous.

"No, I'm not" she whispered back, looking straight at him. "Because it's you."

Slowly, his eyes gleaming the entire time, he moved onto her bed - his muzzle slid right by her cheek, letting her lean against it, gently kissing his fur. She didn't resist as he gently pushed her, laying them down, him adjusting on top of her. Hana could feel her body heating up from anticipation, but also from the warm fur, which flowed all across his body. She gently brought her arms up, running them across his body in little motions - his muscles, what she could feel of them they didn't feel purely human, nor fully wolf, but a mix of both. He slowly panted, but adjusted his muzzle at the crook of her neck, breath hot...

"It's okay, Hana" he whispered. "It's okay... I promise, I won't do anything while I'm like this..."

"T-Thanks for that" she mumbled through his fur.

The rest went unspoken, but still Hana felt content, running a hand down his spine - a small shiver went through his body, but his grip remained steady, and he stayed close.

"You wanted to know my name?" he breathed gently-

-Hana gasped, looking up at him.

His blue eyes were shining, but then they closed, mouth setting into a little smile. "My name" he breathed again, still holding onto her; Hana could feel his pounding heart, going fast like her own. "When I absolutely had to give a name, to my relatives, and later here in the city, I took a liking to 'Tyler'. Even though it's not a usual name here, few have batted an eye, as it turned out."

A slow warmth went through her body, separate from the rest...

"My real name" he whispered, eyes still closed. "The one my parents gave me anyway... it's Balto."

She started trembling again, but still Hana reached up- she gently caressed his cheeks, feeling overcome again.

"It's kinda funny" he continued to whisper, "being named after a based-on-real-life dog, even if that name and the half-wolf heritage were made up for the movie. But it could've been worse: I heard a few of my parents' more odd choices, one time anyway... I just-"

Hana kissed his nose then - he jolted, grip tightening instinctively, before he just stared at her.

"...Balto..." she whispered lovingly, trying to savor how she felt.

He slowly blinked... then he began changing; his fur started rippling, which made her hitch numerous times (it tickled), but it still flowed away. The feel of a wolf changed gradually, into that of a man, completely naked- it made her heart beat even faster. Still, his grip remained reassuringly strong, and a hand gently caressed her cheek + fringes of her hair, easing things a little. The moment it finished, he got even closer to her, enough that she could feel his hot breath on her face.

"Hana" he breathed, briefly shivering, "You're sure?"

In answer, she gently traced a finger across his chest muscles-

-he hitched a little, before his hand moved as well... she gasped, feeling a different rush of warmth, as he slowly moved near her chest.

"Truly?"

Panting, Hana nodded several times, having never been more sure in her life.

He didn't do anything for awhile, then he leaned in even closer... she met his lips on her own, trembling a little, but just loving the strong, firm sensations. She wouldn't let go either, and held onto him tightly the entire time.

/

 _The next morning_

Feeling heavy, Hana slowly stirred before making a sound- why was she throbbing?

It happened again and again, faint, but regular... slowly, she realized where and breathed out; she was naked.

Her heart started beating faster, but still part of her felt strangely calm - slowly rising, the blanket fell off her shoulders, cool air washing over the skin.

Something told her to look left, and so she did-

-the man she loved was right there, covered by the blankets... he seemed to stir, but only enough to move his head before resting again.

A lot went through her head then: seeing him transform; how they said they loved each other; how he must've taken care of her, returning them to her apartment here; everything they talked about... including what they did-

Her cheeks felt warmer- but Hana slowly smiled, looking at her sleeping lover.

 _"I know you now"_ she thought, content. _"And I swear, I'll always know you by your real name, no matter what."_

Feeling even warmer, she leaned down again, before gently brushing her fingers across his shoulder - after a minute of this, Balto started stirring for real, eyes blearily opening, then glancing at her fingers. He hitched a bit as the sensations registered, then saw her; Hana merely smiled a little more, scooting closer, which he soon noticed... before slowly, his hand came up and gently covered her own.

He gave off his own little smile. "Please tell me this isn't a dream" he whispered, extremely soft.

She slowly shook her head. "No, it isn't" she breathed gently, "not unless I dreamed it too. But I know I didn't... Balto."

For a moment, he just looked at her, before resting his head even more... his little smile barely changed, but she knew what he felt. Then he touched her shoulders, drawing her closer; she didn't resist at all.

"Tell me more" Hana whispered eventually, warm in his embrace.

"What do you want to know?"

"Whatever you want to tell me" she answered, gently kissing his neck.

Balto breathed out, never letting go, "...I'm a descendant of the Honshu Wolf" he whispered to her-

-Hana jolted a bit; she remembered reading about them, during one class that dealt with the remains of past species. They'd been extinct since the early 20th century... or so it was believed in textbooks.

"I think myself to be the last surviving member" he continued, a hand slowly touching her hair. "The last one who has both wolf + human blood."

"But, m-maybe there are others you don't know about?" she asked, very tentatively.

He was silent for a stretch, before he adjusted a bit. "Part of me always thought there could be, but that same part knew if there were, they wouldn't show themselves easily. And besides, I thought I couldn't bear to hope, if the chance was so small... so I didn't try."

Hana made a little sound, giving his neck a series of little, comforting kisses.

Her lover stirred, but he liked it. "But now-" Balto whispered, drawing her attention. "Now... I think I could begin to hope again."

Making a little sound, she looked at him-

-he looked back. "My parents told me everything about our history, but they died when I was young" he whispered, the hand in her hair toying with it now, while the other caressed her cheek. "I lived with relatives then, who wouldn't have accepted me had they known what I was. The moment I was old enough for a driver's license, I left for the city, and never looked back. I lived around where I could - there were plenty of places a wolf could settle from day-to-day - then I got a job, and kept to myself. I had made my peace with living alone."

Hana's lip quivered a bit, but she only tightened her grip; he's not alone anymore.

Then he leaned forward, kissing her briefly. "Now though" he whispered, very close. "Now I feel I was wrong... I don't have to be alone... I can hope."

He kissed her again, and she held him tighter and tighter, heart pounding out of happiness.

She didn't know what would happen next, what things would be like in the future... but that didn't bother her; in fact, she was starting to like it.

* * *

It was like a dream, for both of them - but they knew it was real. Every collection of moments seemed to go by quickly, day after day, when in fact that's exactly what happened - first it had been only days, but then, it had taken a few months again.

...

Tyler slowly moved, pulling a sunflower from the bundle beside him, looking at it as he twiddled the stem. For a long time he'd called himself Tyler, still thought of himself as that, but now Hana knew his real name... and she insisted on using it when they were alone.

He was pretty sure she said it in her head too, when she called him Tyler in public - it brought a little smile to his face.

 _"Hana-"_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"You asked before, if you could belong with me at my home" he breathed, just holding her. "Perhaps... I could belong with you, instead?"_

 _She gasped a little, grip tightening from surprise, but he was patient._

 _"Live here with me, i-in this apartment?"_

 _He nodded, threading his fingers through her hair, breathing slowly. "I swear, we can work something out" he whispered softly, liking how close they were. "I can pay half too; I want to, if you'd agree-"_

 _"Yes."_

 _Tyler jolted, not sure he heard her right._

 _Hana leaned back, just enough to look at him... her eyes were slightly wet, but her smile was warm._

 _"I'd love that, Balto" she whispered sweetly, eyes half-closing, leaning even closer-_

 _-he easily obliged, trying to show his appreciation for her in their kiss._

And then of course, how easily he'd moved in the first place-

 _He gently knocked on the door, waiting with hands in his pockets - despite her having said yes though, he was a little nervous; sure, he'd lived with his relatives, but an apartment building was so small. Sharing such a small space would be new to him-_

 _Hana opened the door, smiling when she saw him. "You're here" she breathed, looking nervous herself, but also excited too - she looked down, but was surprised that 'everything he owned' basically fit into two small grocery bags (which were aged a few years)._

 _"Remember what I said before?" he gently asked, drawing her attention. "How a wolf can make a home almost anywhere there's nature?"_

 _She was surprised, but the memory surfaced in her expression, and she slowly nodded. "I understand" she breathed, a little soft, "You don't have anything big like furniture, or things like that. Just small little mementos, and things you wanted to keep."_

 _"Yeah" Tyler breathed, slowly picking them up. "I swear though, they won't get in your way - I'll make sure of that."_

 _Her smile got softer, before she gently touched his arm. "I'll still be curious though" Hana whispered in his ear, pecking his cheek- he was slightly sheepish. "You'd better tell me about them someday."_

 _"Fair enough, I guess."_

 _Then, just as gently, she lead him inside-_

"Hey, Tyler-"

He quickly brought himself back, where his partner was motioning him inside the truck.

"-just got a call."

Another job - well, when they weren't hanging around waiting, they were working; he quickly put the sunflower stem back neatly, before he hurried to stand up + get into the truck.

...

"Dinner's almost ready" Hana called, finishing up the cutting.

"Got ya."

It brought a little smile; sometimes he gave simple responses, but the emotions underneath the words were more important anyway. He was looking forward to dinner, and that was good enough for her.

Hana hummed a little, tasting said dinner, before nodding in satisfaction - she quickly gathered up everything onto two plates, before putting those on the table. Balto waltzed in, not in a hurry, especially since he looked at what she'd prepared. "What's that?" he wondered, sitting down.

"They call it 'shish kebab'" she said gently, sitting down as well. "It's mainly meat on a stick, though it's not limited to that - you nibble at it from the sides, and slide the whole things off."

He chuckled a little, slowly taking one, sniffing it - he got a little smile; to his wolf-ish senses, it must smell pretty good.

"But, it can be even better" she said softly, to his slight confusion.

To show him, she took another stick and gently dipped it in her drink (he was really surprised then), where she let it drip a bit inside the glass before pulling it out. Balto looked at her a moment, she nodding, before he slowly tried it with his own meal, looking at it a moment after pulling out. Just as she ate hers normally, having had it before, he took a small nibble at his... then he gasped, his expressions alone saying that he liked it. She giggled at the side, including when he began to munch like there was no tomorrow.

 _"Hot and cold, a ton of sensation"_ she thought, content to watch for another moment, before she ate as well.

"Mmh, mmm, that's a unique taste" he breathed, after having swallowed a few bites. "How'd you get the idea for this?"

Hana giggled, smiling, "Well, the first time was an accident" she told him, which visibly raised an eyebrow slightly; now he was even more curious. "My grip slipped and it fell in, coating it-"

...

"Hey, Hana?"

"Hmm?" she breathed, about to start folding her clothes, before he motioned her over - she hesitated a moment before smiling, coming over to join him. "What is it?"

In answer, Tyler slowly produced a photograph, holding it out in front of her - she breathed out, curious as she looked at it, going through numerous reactions.

"It's so beautiful" she whispered with wonder.

He smiled a little; "That's a location quite a distance from here" he said gently, drawing her attention. "It's out in the country, full of little homes and a few other installations. It's not a big village or anything, but it's a loving community, from what I saw. Well, at a distance, mind you (she hummed a little), because I didn't let anyone see me. Still, I took that picture a few winters ago, as you can tell."

Hana's little smile showed a lot of interest, and she continued to hold the photograph. "Could we go there sometime?" she whispered. "I can tell it's important to you, if you've kept this photo for years.

"Maybe" he answered, but sincere. "And yeah, it's important to me, but for a different reason than you might think."

"Hmm?"

"What I am Hana, is half human, half wolf" Tyler breathed, gently taking it back. "That means part of me finds nature, wide open spaces, all of that appealing. I wondered if I could make a life in that country, when I took that picture... but despite wanting to, I chose not to do it. At that time, I had made peace with being alone... and small communities like that stick together; I didn't think I could get away from them if I tried."

A hand gently covered his. "And that's why you chose this city" she said gently, leaning against him. "Because society usually leaves you alone, unless there's a reason otherwise."

"Yeah."

She stayed against him for a moment, before she gently took the photograph again, getting up - he watched as she walked over to his bookshelf, and then he breathed out; she gently placed it on top.

Their designated spot for important memories... his picture was there, alongside the picture frame of a young Hana with her father, and a cup that had belonged to him.

Hana slowly put her hands behind her back, looking at him- she was smiling softly.

He returned it, understanding.

...

Hana hummed gently to herself, folding clothes, as soon the laundry would need to be done. Balto was at work of course, but he'd be home in time for dinner - enough time to enjoy themselves for an hour, before she went to work too. She was still glad though; except on rare occasions, when she got home, it was still 'early' enough to say goodnight to her lover, and cuddle together before they both fell asleep (they tended to sleep late). They'd done plenty of that by now, both in human form + her against Balto's wolf form, and a little bit more too (always human), o-on occasion-

-her thoughts were interrupted when her throat suddenly constricted.

She doubled over, clutching her mouth, shaking- why was she trying to throw up!?

Hana tried to fight it, stand up... but by the end, she barely made it to the toilet in time... gah that felt terrible! Weakly, her eyes having shut tight, she groped for the handle, just managing to flush... but ugh, the smell-

-wait, why had this just happened so suddenly?

 _"Did I- did I eat something bad?"_ she thought weakly.

She didn't think so... nothing she'd bought had gone bad, that she'd seen (or consciously allowed), but then- ah, Balto!

If something had gone bad,, he might be having the same problem!

Weakly getting to her feet, Hana found her phone - he was still at work, but she knew he often had breaks between his mover work. But what to say? If she was too specific, he'd get worried- and much as she'd love the attention, she didn't want to do so for no reason.

Eventually, after almost sending 'Balto' in the text, Hana sent her message:

 _'Tyler, how's work going? Anything good or bad?'_

Sitting in the chair, not making any sudden movements just in case, she waited patiently... seventeen minutes later, her phone pinged; he'd replied!

 _'Work has been slow today, except for our last delivery just now - kinda good, as we get to relax more, but sorta boring. Other than that, it's all good.'_

Hana slowly breathed out... Balto was fine; if he'd been throwing up like she just did, and consistently, he'd have been sent home by now.

 _'Okay, but I hope you come home soon. I love you.'_

 _'I'll be there. Love you too, Hana.'_

A few moments later, her phone showed he was no longer 'on' the message service - the phone itself might be, but he thought she was done. Hana saw this, but her mind was far elsewhere...

It was her, just her... but why... it's not like she was pre-

She gasped, her heartbeat going haywire!

P- pregnant... was she pregnant!?

Her emotions were so overpowering, Hana didn't know what to think!

* * *

 **Each moment from the montage (just broken up at points), written in a manner similar to the movie as stated.** **Except in this case, each moment is expanded a little bit :)**

 **And well, while we never did learn the Wolfman's name in the movie, referring to him as 'he' all the time would get repetitive - I think the names fit fairly well too. That being said, it's still just a possible name, as he's still canonically unnamed.**


	3. Expecting

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

 _The next morning_

That day, school was the farthest thing from her mind - Hana rushed over to the town's clinic, heart pounding the entire time. Even right now, she felt a little guilty, not telling Balto last night about her throwing up, about her fears- but she had to know the reason first, before she worried him for nothing.

When she got in, business was slow, but still the desk attendant was a stick-to-the-rules type... it went something like this:

"I need to be checked out."

"Sorry miss, but rules are rules - you need an appointment for that."

"Please, it's important! Just this one little thing!"

"I won't say it again!"

"But I need to know if I'm pregnant or not!"

Not really knowing anyone, and her emotions in a whirl, Hana didn't care about the attention she drew - she thought that might cause the desk attendant to cave, thinking that she wouldn't go away. It turned out to unnecessary: one of the other people working there had been within earshot, and free for the moment, so she personally took her inside (over the desk attendant's objections).

"You think you might be pregnant?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am" Hana breathed, holding her stomach with both hands. "I've been suddenly nauseous for no reason, and I've ruled out it being food-related - everything is still fresh, or good."

"I see- well, I'll do what I can, but you need to be patient."

"I-I'll try..."

Every wait felt like an eternity, and her fast-beating heart didn't help - eventually, after a lot of talk, this woman got the ultrasound technicians to agree to scan her, briefly. Soon she was laying down, next to the ultrasound machine (smaller than she'd expected it to be), listening to it hum as it scanned. The technician next to her slowly touched her arm, drawing her attention that way. "You must understand, it's still too early to determine gender or anything else at all" he said. "If you are pregnant, I mean."

Hana slowly shook her head. "I know that, sir" she breathed, but quickly looking back at the machine, wishing it'd hurry up, "But right now, I just need to know _if_ I am."

Another eternity later (only thirty minutes really), the machine's visual screens started forming pictures, and she looked up quickly-

-she gasped, heartbeat in her throat.

There, in the ultrasound-styled image of her uterus, was a dark spot - it was moving, repeatedly, with little flailing motions.

...

For a time there, everything that happened next was a literal blur - Hana didn't remember anything they said to her, how they escorted her, or how she finally ended up just outside it's doors, or even that she walked backwards to do so.

She was pregnant... she was pregnant...!

That single thing occupied her mind.

Somehow or another, Hana realized that she didn't know how to be a mother - she'd never asked what it was like, and she'd never read any books on the subject. The thought had never crossed her mind before-

-ah! The school's library! She still had her card's access there!

The visit, her going back to her apartment to get the card, the rush over to the school itself - it had taken a few hours total.

Moments still blurred together - one moment she might in one aisle, the next she might be at the other end of it. But finally, she found several books - the attendants had been quite shocked when she'd asked to buy them outright, for full usage. She'd offered to pay them the full price, but still they'd been unsure, and it took a long time before she finally got out of there. Walking away, holding onto her newest books for life, she slowly gasped-

-Balto!

Quickly taking out her phone, she began typing out a message.

/

 _A little earlier_

"You didn't have to get me this" Tyler told his partner, who promptly waved him off ("Go on, you earned it"). He was slightly put-off, but he figured this can of peaches would make some good eating tonight, since he'd insisted - Hana had slowly-but-surely been teaching the particulars, even if sometimes just by having him watch, and he was fairly certain he could make something good too.

A little smile, just imagining her own as she tried what he prepared... it was sure to be soft, no matter how good or bad.

Simple, soft, expected, but still good.

After that, a little time passed, as they were between work jobs right now - honestly, it seemed like the mover business was part-breaks, just to make up for the back-breaking effort that came with moving furniture. He vaguely wondered if revealing that to the general populace would suddenly increase the amount of applicants by leaps and bounds.

Probably why they didn't mention anything, heh.

His phone buzzed then, Tyler humming a little in response, before taking it out.

"From Hana-" he started to say, before the words died in his throat, and his hand started shaking.

 _'Tyler, I'm in front of the Coffee Cake shop... and I'm pregnant.'_

He must have stared at his phone so long, his partner noticed and came over to him: "Hey man, you okay?"

He blinked, before suddenly he stood up as if from a springboard- all he could do was push his phone in his partner's face, near-literally!

"What th- ah!"

That reaction, while expected, galvanized him. "Please, can I-!?"

"Why are you asking!? Go see her!"

Tyler gasped, before doing just that! "Thank you!" he called back, running as fast as he could! In fact, if it weren't for the fact that he was running full-speed down busy sidewalks, he'd have transformed just to go faster!

Only after five minutes did he realize he still held his phone in his hand (and the can of peaches), but this was such a minor detail right now, that he didn't care- he refused to slow down! Crowds of people quickly got out of the way as he barreled past, city blocks became a blur, and even the one person who nearly ran into him on a bike ("Hey, watch it!") barely got his attention! All the while, his mind was racing, and couldn't begin to place what he felt, much less how good or otherwise! His adrenaline had a minor hitch along the line, and he finally just stopped against a tree planted in the sidewalk, panting heavily. Still, gathering what energy he had, he quickly looked at where he was- ah!

He looked down the street... at the figure of Hana, standing in front of the Coffee Cake shop!

Tyler forgot about his tiredness, and ran down the street as fast as he could!

"Hana!" he called-

-she turned in an instant, and her face lit up, already preparing to meet him in a hug. But he was faster, meeting her with such force that he threw her into a twirl, Hana and he laughing loudly! She landed somewhere after the second 360-turn, and just trembled against him - he rubbed her back, holding her tightly, but he couldn't seem to stop grinning.

"Bal-" she started to say, making a little sound; she knew they were still in public, even while like this. "T-Tyler... oh, I'm- I'm-!"

"Oh Hana" he breathed heavily, squeezing her; he never wanted to let her go. "I know... I know! I can't begin to express what I'm feeling-"

"-m-me either!"

"But please, let me take you home" he whispered in her ear.

"But... y-your work..."

"I've been let go to see you, after your message; they're not expecting me to come back today."

"O-Okay."

...

Tyler didn't let go the entire way, even if just her hand.

Hana never stopped crying either- but they went so well with her smile, that it was clear what she felt. He was the same, but so much more in that he suddenly couldn't be still; his hands shook in excitement, nervousness, and he was wobbly. Still, he managed enough to close + lock the door behind them, then guide them to the table, where Hana basically 'fell' into her chair. Shakily, with only one hand free, he managed a similar landing upon the opposite side; her grip remained tight.

"Balto" she whispered, wiping at her tears, but didn't stop smiling. "I- I o-only found out a few hours ago... but already... I-I feel I want to keep it."

Those words sent a rush through him, so warm and happy, that he nearly returned to the constant-grinning phase from earlier. Instead he merely tightened his grip, both hands over hers, "Oh Hana" he breathed, struggling to say more, but he couldn't-

-her small giggle was enough; she had this habit of reading beneath his words anyway.

"But-" Hana breathed, "I need to know what- what will the baby be like? I-I know they'll be half-wolf, but... how do we raise them?"

Breathing fast, he glanced down... Tyler quickly tried to remember, go through everything his parents had told them...

But he'd only been a few years old- there was no way parental guidance, or details about his birth (and after), would have been part of that. Even for a part-wolf, that was too young for such knowledge... he didn't know that area himself, and couldn't ask his parents now. He knew some things about his heritage, and from memory, but when it came to raising, he was nearly as much in the dark as Hana... and there weren't books on this kind of care-giving, not that he knew of. Her books would help, as would books on wolves, but the particulars on caring for half-wolves-

-well, he'd be making parts of that up as they went along, just as she would.

Slowly, Tyler came back to himself, finding Hana looking at him, worried.

"I-I'm not sure, Hana" he breathed honestly, holding her hand tightly. "In the brief time I knew my parents, I never asked how I was at birth, nor what it was like... I can't lie to you about that."

Hana breathed out, looking at her belly, which her other hand was covering. "So, y-you don't know anything about it?" she whispered, worried.

"I have certain instincts" he whispered, kissing the hand he held. "They tell me things, as if I know them 'in my blood'... but I won't be sure what is true, or how much."

A moment passed, then Hana stood up, just enough to come toward him- he easily held her against him, her grip tight.

"So yeah, from birth to very-early-toddler, things are unknown to me too" Tyler breathed, rubbing her back, hoping to soothe her. "But the toddler stage onward... don't forget Hana, that I went through those stages myself. I remember parts of it early on, along with after, and I can work to remember as much as I can."

Hana made a sound, her head moving in the crook of his neck. "So then... it'll be okay?" she asked, weaker, but hoping. "Balto, you can- you can help guide our child? You can help guide _me_ , on what it'll be like to raise a half-wolf?"

"Yes, I can" he whispered, as sincere as he could, kissing her hard to prove it. "We'll both make it up as we go along at first, but we will get through it; I swear it to you, Hana."

"O-Oh...!"

Hana just broke down crying (in the good way), overcome by everything, and Tyler held her tightly - he was in the same boat, but he would be here for her. He would always be for her, and for their child too; they both wanted it, and he intended for that to come true.

* * *

Ohhhhh... gah...

Panting heavily, Hana could only lay there in bed, in her pajamas while her stomach churned on-and-off. Some days were worse than others, but this was definitely one of them... if it weren't, she could have gone to school and managed enough, but- uffff! Reaching weakly, she barely got the bedpan under her mouth before she threw up. The smell, the sight- it was enough to make her stomach churn all over again, and Hana strove to keep her eyes shut, but the worst was trying to throw up while she had an empty stomach...

Still, she didn't feel mad, about any part of it; she only felt sorry for Balto, having to clean this up. If she were stronger, she could have made it to the sink, or the toilet, or even done the clean-up herself... mmh.

Despite her heaving, Hana tried to calm down... it was going to be okay, she would make it through this- it would all be worth it, once their child was born into this world.

It would be okay-

-the door opened.

"Hana!"

She stirred, slowly (and carefully) turning- Balto was there beside her in an instant, worried, quickly rubbing her back. "You okay?" he whispered, staying close to her.

"I... I'm fine enough" she told him, a little softer; he was here with her now. "But, it'd help if this made up it's mind."

"Mmph" he breathed, expression flickering. "I wish that too."

He stayed close to her for a little, before his hand gently touched her mouth- Hana made a sound as he wiped the stains off, using the back of his fist. "W-What are you-?"

"I've got to clean the bedpan" he said gently, slowly pulling up his shirt, covering his nose + mouth with some adjustments. "A little extra on my hand won't kill me."

"But..." she started to breathe.

Balto gently touched her shoulder, and she jolted, instinctively touching his hand back-

-'it would be okay', he was saying.

After that, Hana just watched as he took the bedpan, with running water soon following... despite the gross task, he worked hard, and it brought a little smile to her lips.

/

"Uuuuggggh! Mmm... mmph!"

Every retch made him feel worse, but all he could do was gently rub her back as she threw up, right into the toilet.

 _"Oh Hana"_ Tyler thought, worried; he knew it wouldn't kill her, but it still hurt to watch/listen. _"If only I could do more..."_

After a few minutes, she weakly flushed the toilet, complete with groaning, carefully wiping at her mouth with a Kleenex... and after that, she just leaned back, enough to lay down against the floor. He turned a bit, sitting beside her as he gently took her hand (she didn't mind), rubbing at her fingers.

"Ohhh" Hana breathed weakly, her eyes half-closed; he held her hand tighter. "B-Balto?"

"Yeah?" he whispered, here for her.

"Would you- would you make me more food, p-please?"

Tyler slowly breathed out, not just at the request, but something else- "I will, but I gotta say something first" he whispered. "You're not even complaining - how do you _do_ that?"

Hana looked at him, gaze still half-closed, but she managed a faint smile. "I guess it's... just who I am" she breathed softly, "No matter how hard something is, if I feel it's worth it in the end, I can work through it. And besides... what would complaining do for me? I rarely even feel like it anyway-"

"You're amazing, Hana" he breathed, gently stroking her fingers now. "I mean it."

She blushed, but her smile was warm, moving her fingers to his strokes.

He returned the smile, even as he gently + carefully helped her up, getting her to the bed - after that, he gave her forehead a kiss, before he went to check the food situation.

Tyler soon discovered a problem: while they weren't out, what they did have were basically... snacks, more-or-less. He, or Hana if she felt up to it, were gonna have to do some heavy-duty grocery shopping tomorrow, but that didn't solve the immediate problem.

He jolted a little, an idea coming to him... and it could work; it was midnight, so most everyone would be inside + likely asleep.

"Hana?" he breathed, slowly turning around.

"Y-Yeah?"

"I'm gonna need to go out and get some food for us."

Hana gasped, worried as she lifted her head, "But- but it's midnight; everywhere will be closed-"

"I know that" he whispered, but with a little smile. "I can still get us some food."

She slowly looked at him, mouth open a little...

"Just trust me, Hana" Tyler breathed, sincere. "Okay?"

"...okay."

He came over, and gently kissed her on the lips (he didn't care about the lingering taste), which really surprised her. "I'll be back soon" he assured, gently brushing Hana's hair out of her face. "Don't fall asleep on me."

That got a slight smile out of her, and Hana nodded.

...

 _Outside_

Just as Tyler thought, the streets were empty, without a soul in sight... but just in case, he hid down a dead-end alley, making sure it was clear before his eyes closed.

Slowly kneeling on all fours, he reached deep inside him...

Fingers elongated into claws, the cold wind became muted as it hit fur instead, and his ears perked up. On his back, the pack he'd brought along still fit, but with enough room around his 'new' form that it would jostle... oh well.

His hearing reached considerably above the normal human range, and he didn't hear anyone for a hundred meters.

Once he was sure of that, he slowly let his animal instincts run through him- he sniffed around carefully. Numerous scents lingered in the area, mainly that of exhaust from cars, but immeasurable human scents ran past the sidewalks. He ignored that, searching for other scents... when he found nothing, he moved quickly. However, despite his stride being much faster as a wolf, he still couldn't ignore the awkwardness in doing so- his limbs were still partly proportioned to a human's, not the lithe ones of a wolf.

Well, Tyler knew that would happen... he'd chosen to remain human, but though he kept in touch with his wolf instincts, they were nowhere near fully 'given into'.

Quick scent checks told him there were no nests nearby; he'd have to go up to the hill, and see about there.

Moving quickly, working to keep to the shadows whenever possible (just in case), he used his claws for the straight-up climb - rock-jumping was little challenge like this. The moment he got up, his scent detection became better, due to the absence of constant human exhaust + presence-

-wait, there was something.

He sniffed carefully, trying to tune it to it's source...

The slightest sound-

-a pheasant, forty feet to his left, and on the right-most tree.

Perfect.

Moving carefully, Tyler continued to sniff around, but only as a show - the bird knew of his presence, but not intent. Carefully, he moved that way in measured steps, sniffing as if searching for something else, as if he didn't notice there was a bird. He didn't dare look at the branch again, not this close, as that would cause an immediate take-off by giving away intent. As luck would have it, soon he was next to the tree trunk, and the bird hadn't moved a muscle... but it would soon, no matter what he did. Slowly, he prepared himself- the awkwardness could not be avoided, but his instincts, his tree climbing experience from childhood; both would be the key, and the difference between getting and losing it.

The wind shifted a little; the bird cooed.

He moved-

-in an instant, he was clawing his way up the tree, snarling.

Just as planned, this startled the pheasant so much it flapped ten feet to the left- but it didn't achieve proper flight and fell. It tried to stabilize, to fly, but he'd leapt from the bark right over it... as soon as he landed, the bird had scratched him twice and fled. He ran after it, pawing at it's location, barely missing + hitting ground- but each time, he'd snarl and chase with renewed speed. Several times this happened, before he appeared in front of the pheasant, growling full-force - that moment it panicked, he pounced and pinned the bird to the ground. With it trapped by the neck, it still flailed, getting feathers everywhere, but it's body was fully exposed to him, if wriggly.

One quick bite, and it'd be dead.

With effort, Tyler reined in his instincts, closing his eyes... while tightening the pressure on the bird's neck.

It struggled, and struggled... and struggled... before finally, it stopped moving.

Ten full seconds passed-

-only then did he sniff again.

The bird's scent was fading rapidly... only his own emanated strongly, thanks to his paw.

Letting out a breath, body heaving a little, Tyler slowly opened his eyes - the pheasant was dead, and aside from the ruffled feathers, there wasn't a mark on it. Slowly, he wriggled out of his pack, gently grabbed the bird between his teeth, and put it in there - then carefully, he wriggled back into the pack, making sure it was secure first.

Not sparing a moment, he moved back, to return to his loved one.

...

 _A little later_

Hana hoped Balto would be back soon - it was lonely here without him.

It's kinda funny though, how it's midnight, yet she's still starving... Hana wasn't sure if she was gonna be able to sleep normally tonight - but if Balto would cuddle with her the entire time, it wouldn't be so bad, hmm. She still wondered about where he'd get food- though, she didn't believe he'd steal anything.

 _"No, I trust him not to do that"_ she thought, with a little smile.

Just then, the door opened-

"Hana, I'm back."

His whispering voice (thinking about their neighbors), plus the light turning on, all made her feel better - Hana worked to sit up. "I'm glad you're back" she breathed softly, before she hitched.

Her lover was lightly covered in feathers, looking slightly exasperated/annoyed about it and the small scratch marks on his face, but still in a fair mood - looking slightly sheepish, his answer was hold up his arm, from which- ah, a dead pheasant hung from.

Hana just stared at the bird, held by Balto- a sight she didn't think she'd see in her life (but in retrospect, probably should have). "We're-" she slowly whispered, a little worried. "W-We're going to eat that?"

"Not raw" he whispered gently, jolting her. "Don't worry about that; even I would never eat an animal raw."

She made a sound, watching as he went into the kitchen. "Why- why not?" she wondered, slowly getting up, "I-I mean... wolves eat animals all the time, and nothing bad happens to them, so-"

"It's different for me" Balto breathed, knife-hitting-board sounds coming from his work, including small bowl clangs, pouring of liquids, and the stove being used.

"It is?"

"Yeah. My wolf form- well, it's only a true wolf on the outside," he said, but without sadness. "Inside, it still has some human proportions, a mix of human + wolf muscles, and human intestines... well, as far as I've been able to determine anyway. Maybe I wouldn't get parasites easily, but I think I'd still be vulnerable to them, because I've chosen to be human."

"Oh" Hana breathed, slowly sitting at the table - in her thoughts though, she wondered.

Pure human, wolf-and-human, and pure wolf... was that how it was?

So many questions she wanted to ask... now didn't seem like a good time though; she didn't want to ruin the mood, as she was grateful for cooking on her behalf. In time though, Balto breathed out, before gently + carefully presenting her the meal; a kind-of soup, filled with noodles and other additions. She wondered over it even as he slipped portions into their bowls, before picking one up with her chopsticks, hmm- then she nipped the small part, the rest falling back in. Hana slowly gasped, then just smiled big; it was delicious! She soon moved to eat more, except for one thing-

"Ah!" she squeaked.

Really hot!

During her little reactions though, Balto watched from the opposite side of the table, hand supporting his head - he just had a little smile, content.

* * *

 **Soon with a baby girl on the way, hmm**

 **And I don't know about everyone else, but expanding on the scenes, while still seeing them happen (as in the movie)... it just gives a greater weight to everything :) Though maybe that's a stupidly obvious thing to say, hehe**


	4. Yuki & Ame

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

At the six-month mark, they were both doing everything they could to prepare themselves... books on parenting, human and wolf included, talks about where to get their child to sleep, and so on... the excitement though, the nervousness, wouldn't go away.

...

Tyler slowly sighed, looking off into empty space... Hana, he hoped she'd be okay without him.

During that, his mind wandered back to the conversation they'd had a few days prior...

 _"Balto? I'm worried..."_

 _"About what?" he breathed, glancing at her, having just set down the new heater unit._

 _Hana slowly looked down, rubbing at her belly, which had expanded considerably. "When the baby's born" she breathed, "will they appear human, or as a wolf?"_

 _He gasped, staring at her... but slowly, he walked forward until he was on his knees before her._ _Slowly, he took her hands, "I-" he breathed, struggling a little; he wished he had a good answer. "I'm not sure, Hana... but I shudder to think about how random it might be."_

 _"If they saw our child as a wolf,_ _it'd be a disaster" she finished, a little weaker. "I don't want that kind of attention, not when we're getting this close to a new life!"_

 _Just as she finished, he wrapped her tight in a hug, which she returned - her belly pushed against his body, but he took comfort from it. "Hana" he breathed, rubbing her back, trying to soothe her with his words-"_

"Hey, Tyler! Get in here!"

Jolted out of the memory, Tyler stalled a bit before slowly doing so - guess his partner really needed better timing.

"Don't worry; I'm giving you a lift."

"You're what?" Tyler asked, not sure he heard right.

"Come on, she's waiting for you; I insist."

"Uhh-uh..."

...

Little did Hana know, but Balto had been thinking of the same conversation she was about to - she sat there, gently stitching out a little stuffed doll, hoping their child would like it. Across from her, the new heater unit kept her warm, as did the blanket over her legs... all to help their child, who was resting right now.

During a little rest, she slowly looked up into empty space...

 _It had taken her a little while, but she calmed down, enough to take warm comfort from her lover's embrace. Her breathing went steady, heart-rate even, soon leaving her to get a little smile: laying with him while in wolf form was entirely unlike that of his human body. He was doing it for her, knowing she liked it, and she loved him for that, stroking his fur as they lay there._

 _"Hana..."_

 _She made a sound, still warm in his embrace, half-opening her eyes... Balto's head moved a little, just behind her own, making her unable to see his eyes right now._

 _"We won't get an ultrasound."_

 _Slowly, Hana nodded into his fur - she wished she could know their gender, but it was for a good reason. And besides, she just wanted them to be healthy, at her and Balto's side; that's all._

 _"And-"_

 _Hmm?_

 _"-when the time comes, and you go into labor... we won't go to a hospital."_

 _She gasped, heart starting to pound... "W-What!?" she breathed, heavy with shock._

 _"I said it earlier, Hana: I don't know what will happen. When the baby is born, they could be human... or they could be wolf. Will they change to one or the other within the hour, the day, or even the week? Will they change without knowing it?"_

 _Her breathing was still heavy, but her heart started to settle, the more he talked._

 _Balto's head moved a bit; it wasn't easy for him to say this either. "We can't take that risk, Hana" he whispered, heavy himself. "And- I-I'm scared too."_

 _Slowly, curling herself closer, Hana turned onto her other side - his muzzle was flat against the bed, but his right eye looked toward her._

 _"I... I-I've never delivered a baby before" he nearly mumbled, nervous. "What if I do something wrong? Will I even know what's wrong? And what if I faint-"_

 _"You won't faint!" she whispered, surprising them both - she didn't know where that came from, but the moment she said it, Hana knew it was the truth; she just knew it. "You're strong, Balto" she assured him, gently brushing the underside of his muzzle, him moving under her touch. "If you're determined to help me, you won't faint- trust me on that."_

 _A moment, then Balto slowly lifted his head - very delicately, he gave her a tiny little lick, right on her cheek. And then before she knew it, while he was changing to human form, started giving her numerous little kisses there._

 _It made her cheeks heat up, in the good way._

 _"And" she whispered gently, holding him close to her. "I do agree... it was j-just so sudden, when you said it like that..."_

 _"...sorry" he breathed, right in her ear._

 _She shivered a little, but held him tighter._

Mmh, yeah, she'd been shocked when he'd announced it... but even if the idea were hers, Hana still would've agreed it was for the best. They both knew why, and didn't want that kind of attention-

-though, she couldn't deny that the idea scared her, more than she could express, even to herself.

But she didn't have to - Balto shared it; they'll get through it together.

 _"And we will get through it"_ Hana thought, with a little smile. _"We'll-Oh!"_

Her stomach continued to 'kick'-

-wow, their child didn't take very long to rest, hehe. "Don't worry" she assured softly, rubbing along her stomach, jolting when another kick came over, "You're getting strong, and we're both excited to- ah- to see you come into this world."

Hana continued to whisper to their child, even if they couldn't make sense of her words- but the sound of her voice would be comforting.

/

 _Months later_

Tyler thought he knew hard; he'd carried more furniture and boxes that he cared to count. He'd even, through some rather convoluted scheming, arranged a plan that would enable everyone in the apartment building to be gone for the day when Hana's labor started... ready any-minute-every-minute, at that.

But nothing had been like helping his lover give birth, in that tiny apartment they called home, even with all the notes on home birth.

The moment Hana started having contractions (regular ones), he quickly ran out and did aforementioned scheming, getting it over with as quickly as possible while trying not to panic. Then once he was inside, whole body shaking, he had Hana lay down flat on her back, pillows underneath her frame to give her some support, with many blankets + towels nearby. Embarrassingly, this process had also involved stripping her from the waist down, even if that was required... still, he'd physically done that for her, while trying to clean + switch the towels as necessary. Then at some point, he'd remembered that soon after birth, she would need to breastfeed... so, again embarrassingly, Hana did that too (unbuttoning her pajamas, enough that she could do so with ease, but still cover up).

And all this while Hana regularly let out wildly-different in volume yells/moans/other sounds. Each one hit him like a physical blow, but still he worked to get through; she was in more pain that he was, and he needed to support her.

It all felt like an eternity, whether he was holding her hand or doing what was required, and only the adrenaline kept him grounded.

Still, eventually...

"I see the baby's head!" Tyler managed to rasp, his emotions starting to explode (again). "Just a few more!"

"Hahaaah!"

"Come on, Hana! Now! Push! Push!"

"Arraagh!"

"One more, one more! And- now!"

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!"

He caught the baby, a flailing little (human) thing, covered in small blood stains and inner 'juices'... the umbilical cord trailing behind 'her'...

Part of him just tried to shut down, to stare in awe at this wonderful life, but what was left of his rationality took over. Gently, very gently, he tapped the baby's stomach repeatedly- the little girl jolted, and began to cry loudly, which audibly made Hana gasp as well, in the middle of her heavy breathing.

Ignoring the small juices on his hand, Tyler shakily took a kitchen knife, gulping a bit, before he very carefully tried to cut the umbilical cord from the baby's stomach...

He must have been extremely lucky; he did it.

Pulling the umbilical cord's remains out of Hana was something he wished he _never_ had to do again though. He was shuddering the entire time, including when he vigorously wiped the juices off with towels afterward. Still, he was glad when he put that thing in the trash can... no one would need to know, once they were disposed of. Then after that, sweat dripping off his brow, he quickly/shakily wiped the juices off the squabbling little baby, before he wrapped her up in a little blanket they'd bought before. "Oh god..." he breathed, barely able even to say that - but the sight was gradually calming him down, in the loosest sense.

Their little girl... her eyes were closed, making noises as she moved, with a mess of brown hair... but that could darken over time, as it sometimes did with infants; he didn't know if it would stay that way.

"B-Balto-"

He gasped again, then quickly 'walked' on his knees toward Hana - she was sweaty, flushed, and no doubt a 'little' weak. Despite that, she slowly lifted her arms, and he gently put the little bundle into her embrace.

"It's a girl" Tyler whispered, still overcome. "It's a girl, Hana."

Hana's expression became the softest he'd ever seen, smile just as big as she beheld the little girl - he couldn't take his eyes off her either, slowly laying down on the floor, facing their daughter from different directions. A full minute must have passed, during which Hana gently set their child down on the floor (supporting her head of course), where the baby cooed + moved a little. Tyler touched her tiny hand with his finger, which she grasped instinctively, doing the same with his love's finger too. It made him smile, even as he held Hana's hand with his other one, which she squeezed tightly, shaking a little from happiness.

"I'm so thankful that she's healthy" Hana whispered, extremely soft and gentle; the little girl continued to squirm a little, reacting to their voices.

"Yeah" he breathed, just the same inside now, "Healthy and beautiful, just like her mother."

"I hope she has a gentle heart-"

"-and a good mind to go with it."

"What will she grow up to be?" his love wondered.

"Whatever she wants" he admitted, gently 'tugging' his finger against the baby's grasp. "She can be anything - for her, the sky's the limit."

"I just hope she's happy; that's my wish for her" Hana whispered, so soft it might have melted his heart.

Tyler gently gripped Hana's hand tighter, toying with her fingers. "Then it's up to us, to make it come true" he whispered, intending to himself.

"Yeah" she whispered, before gently holding their baby girl - at the same time, Hana sat up, adjusting the open folds of her pajama's after she got a good grip.

The sight made his heart beat a little faster, but he knew why... instead of staring, he made himself reach for several towels, before he started to clean Hana up 'down there'. She made a few sounds in the process, but she let him, including when he started to slide her clothes back on (which was weird while she was still sitting). Her cheeks never stopped being pink though, and maybe he was the same, considering this was a little embarrassing, but somehow they managed everything. Meanwhile, their baby girl made little grabs before Hana moved her closer, and then she began to 'drink'.

"And her name" Hana breathed, her expression moving a little at the sensations, but still happy. "What was our name again, if it was a girl?"

"Yuki" Tyler whispered, smiling as he said it... and when he glanced at the windows above, he found it appropriate too: they knew she'd be expecting around winter. Now it was snowing outside again, and Hana had just wished that their little girl would be happy - it was up to them to follow both parts of Yuki's name.

"Mmh" Hana breathed, content, looking at their baby girl. "Yuki. Our little Yuki."

* * *

Having a newborn girl around the house certainly changed things - one of them always had to be home, to take care of Yuki, who would cry every few hours over something. There had been a few issues at first, mostly over sleep, but they were getting there... the main problem though, was with her.

Whenever Hana was away from Yuki, at school, or her part-time job... she was highly distracted, with time seeming to slow down, and she felt like she should be there. Everyone who'd noticed + she told this to said not to worry; it's natural, and the jittery part of this worry would go away with time (though they sympathized with it never 'truly' going away; all mothers felt that way).

But as the months went by, the 'jittery part' never did go away, in a way - she found herself less and less interested in school, and her part-time job to a lesser extent. Despite her hard work getting in, tuition needing to be payed off, she found that she didn't really care anymore. And the moment she said that out loud, in response to criticism that she suddenly wasn't taking things seriously, she'd shocked even herself a little. No one there treated her the same after that, as if she'd said something unforgivable, or maybe just incomprehensible... part of her wondered if maybe she was being reckless.

When she told Balto about her conflicting wishes, he'd been worried:

"Are you sure, Hana?" he whispered, gently caressing her cheek. "I mean, you said it yourself: you worked hard to get in."

"I know I did" she whispered, with a slight smile to his affection. "But... now though, I don't think it matters as much as it did before. Whether I get a high-paying job or not- I dunno. I just feel like, if I want to do something, it'd be my choice... and that it shouldn't be up to my credentials."

"For a city girl, that's quite something to say" he breathed, half-playful, but his little motions over her cheeks said he was still thinking. "You dunno what's gonna happen next, what you should do just yet, but that actually seems to agree with you."

"Y-You think so?"

"Yeah, I do."

Hana slowly kissed his fingers, one-by-one, which made him smile a bit.

"Just do me one thing" he breathed gently-

"Yeah?"

"-think hard on it, okay?" he continued, leaning closer. "If I understand things correctly, that college won't let you drop out until the year's completed (she slowly nodded)... with your second year already started from before, that's plenty of time to decide what to do next."

Hana made a sound, before leaning close to him too. "I will" she promised, before her cheeks went pink, "But... t-there's something else I've decided on too... well, almost."

"What's that?" he whispered, very close + inviting.

"When I look at Yuki... I- I-I believe that I'd like... t-to try again."

He slowly gasped, staring right at her - she could only glance down, shyly embarrassed.

Balto didn't have much time to stare; Yuki started fussing under her small blanket, and began to cry. They both jolted at the noise, but when she glanced back, he slowly shook his head + mouthed 'my turn', before he gently went over. Outwardly, he was soft + gentle, doing a quick check of everything that could be obviously wrong, trying to soothe the little girl. Inwardly though, Hana could see he was still shocked about the idea of having another baby, especially so early, even though it was only seconds after she suggested it. She couldn't admit that she didn't feel the same-

-but the excitement of it, the nervousness, of having another child- it seemed right to her.

She hoped it would be for him too.

...

 _Seven months later_

Being pregnant again had gone almost the same... except this time, she'd been nearly religious in eating foods that would counter-act her morning sickness.

It had been like night and day - maybe Hana wouldn't have complained, but she didn't want to needlessly suffer if there were ways to ease it.

Yuki meanwhile, when she wasn't crying, quickly proved to be a very excitable little girl - she pretty much _never_ ran out of energy, whether it came to curiosity, being fussy, or even her 'mad' phases; she just would not stop hehe. Sometimes it shocked them how, when they were tired, she would be there trying to grab their shirt collars, trying to lift herself up to stand. But mostly, it just gave them smiles, which Yuki usually returned as she imitated them - the little girl was certainly a happy one. One of Balto's favorite activities with her, that Yuki actively enjoyed, was the tickle 'game' - the little girl was a laughing little bundle every time he tried it.

The sight of that, both parties enjoying it for different reasons, never failed to make her smile - and when Hana tried it, Yuki's laughter was music to her ears; she could see why almost immediately.

Both aspects continued over time of course; her morning sickness faded again, and Yuki got a little bigger every month. The little girl still couldn't stand, even with help, but she was a curious little thing.

Yuki also didn't 'change' at all... when she wondered, Balto had this to say:

"When I think about it, it seems perfectly fine" he breathed in thought, but with a little smile. "Most every time I change, it's consciously, but it has to be done just right... which Yuki hasn't learned how to do yet. But until then, I think she'll be safe to show off in public."

Hana was relieved, but she giggled; "Time for a baby carrier then" she'd said playfully, which got him to chuckle a little.

That same baby carrier - a wrap-around sash of sorts with 'seats', as well as little restraints - certainly came in handy.

/

 _A few days later_

For the first time in a long while, they shared a walk together, just moving around the city and enjoying the scenery. The difference this time being that, he had a little girl holding onto his hair - a little girl who tended to pull at the slightest curiosity. Despite that though, Tyler was content, free to feel the sun on his back, and the wind picking up- having Hana and Yuki with him just made the moment complete. They must have walked for an hour, and soon they came upon a little path, which overlooked a grassy hill going downward. He started to think that maybe they could rest down there, enjoy each other's company-

-however, Yuki began to tug at his hair, jolting him.

Instinctively, Tyler reached up, touching her hand with his own.

It didn't exactly stop her; Yuki continued to pull at his hair with her other hand, giggling the whole while, while he slowly gave up on trying to stop her (with little winces all the while). Hana slowly laughed beside him, but her gaze was soft, even as her other hand slowly touched her growing belly-

-"Do you want me to take her now?" she asked gently.

Tyler slowly made a sound. "Please" he whispered, but slightly playful-

-Yuki made it difficult, moving around so much, but Tyler slowly laughed as he saw this - somehow or other, he managed to get Yuki + the baby carrier off his body, before (with help), getting the latter around Hana. Yuki was then distracted by a butterfly, and tried to grab it, nearly wobbling backward with a little flailing + noises included- his hand stopped that.

"That was close" he breathed, but with a little smile.

Hana just smiled, holding onto his arm a little, "I think we got our wish though" she whispered, happy and content, even as Yuki started trying to pull her hair too. "I mean, look at her right now."

He gently rubbed her arm, with a few brushes at her belly. "I am" he assured, "and she's a spirited little tyke, who can't seem to stop smiling. Not that that's a bad thing."

"No" she agreed, but soft.

...

Then for the second time in his life, Tyler had to help his lover give birth... yeeeeah...

Still, after yet another harrowing-and-panicky experience for him, and another painful experience for Hana (both lesser this time)... they had their second child, again in this apartment. Yuki, quite strangely, slept through the whole thing, the lucky one - even right now, she was out like a light, still taking a baby-long nap despite being a freshly one-year-old.

Anyway, to top off the experience, again he was left in awe at the child he held.

Human again, a boy this time, with darker hair that was closer to his own... this one was less active, quiet and barely moving, but still breathing steadily. Before Hana could jolt him out of his shock, Tyler slowly turned again, getting closer to her.

Gently, he slid the boy into her arms-

-Hana just gasped, eyes shining with happy tears, fingers stroking the boy's cheek... she tried several times to speak, but couldn't.

Seeing this, and still feeling the same overwhelming happiness, Tyler moved behind his love - gently, he held Hana from behind, and her back almost seemed to arc, trying to return it as much as she could.

Eventually:

"D- D-Did you decide?" Hana whispered, voice shaky from happiness. "W-Which name was better, if it was a boy? Because I haven't."

Any other situation, he would've chuckled- as it was, it brought a little smile. "I didn't" he whispered, "at least not until I saw the weather, when you began to go into labor."

She made the slightest sound.

"It began to rain just before then" he breathed, extremely soft. "It still is raining, quite hard."

Hana slowly turned her head, eyes still full of tears, but her open mouth showed a small interest (among other feelings). "Y-You mean-" she wondered-

Tyler nodded.

-with a big smile, Hana nodded as well, tears falling again. "Ame" she whispered softly to herself, looking at their little boy, "Our little Ame."

He leaned around Hana, gently stroking his son's cheek with a finger, just like Hana had done seconds before. He didn't know how long they remained like that, but he knew Hana had settled against his chest a long time ago, cradling little Ame.

Tyler did remember though, that he'd been about to go grocery shopping, before 'this' happened... not wanting to ruin the moment though, he tried to push that off-

-before surprisingly: "Oh" Hana breathed, jolted, slowly glancing at him. "You were gonna go get groceries..."

He slowly blinked, wondering how they had the same thought within seconds of each other...

"Well, I know I have to" Tyler whispered faintly, knowing life did go on, yet looking at Ame. "But understandably, I just don't want to now."

Hana glanced down, giving a little smile, "I know" she breathed, extremely soft, cradling their boy a little closer.

"But I also know that if I don't go, I'm _never_ gonna get around to it, because of this little miracle here" he breathed gently, a 'little' reluctant, but slowly stood up against his own will.

Hana adjusted as he did so. "You're sure?" she asked, slightly worried, "It's pouring pretty heavily out there."

 _Rumble_

"I've got to get it over with, as soon as I can" he answered gently, pulling on his best raincoat. "Anything you want to add to the list?"

"W-Well... I'd like peaches, if you can get some, Balto" she said gently, after thinking a moment.

"Okay then" he breathed - soon he was at the door, opening it. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Hana. I love you."

"I love you too" she called, her cheeks still flushed with pink.

Tyler just smiled, lingering a moment before he set out, closing the door behind him.

* * *

 **It's one thing to be a first-time father... it's quite another to be that 'and' help her give birth, twice even... poor guy.** **But still well-worth it, of course, given their children :)** **Yuki, an adorable high-energy bundle, and Ame, the quiet one (except for that pair of lungs) - now the family's complete.**

 **Yet still to continue onward**


	5. Downpour

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

Hana was worried, really worried now - it had been six hours, and the storm outside was getting worse; he shouldn't be taking this long!

 _Rumble_

On the bed-spread, Ame stirred at the sounds of thunder, while Yuki slept soundly, undisturbed.

Slowly breathing out, Hana decided not to wait any longer; she was going out there to find him. Steeling herself, she ran to the closet, digging for her raincoat - as soon as she grabbed it, she moved to get the baby carrier, and the kids' coats as well-

Six bangs sounded on the door.

Literally wheeling on the spot, she could barely form a thought-

-six more sounded in rapid succession, desperate by the sound of it.

Breathing faster, Hana quickly got to the door and yanked the chain off the lock, opening it and-

-she gasped!

Her lover stood there, breathing absolutely ragged, entire form drenched with water to the point that he was still dripping profusely... his clothes were gone, and all he had on was an over-sized raincoat. He was leaning against the door frame as if he couldn't keep himself up, and his gaze- i-it was far, far into the distance, almost burning.

"Balto!" she breathed, emotions turned on their head. "What's wrong!?"

He moved ahead, right past her as if he didn't see/hadn't heard- Hana could only stare after him. He just stopped in the middle of the room... then suddenly, his legs wobbled, bad enough that he fell to his knees before turning-then-falling onto his back! She gasped before he hit the floor, not just at his state, but also a little that the raincoat had been dislodged- gah, not right now! Quickly, she grabbed the nearest towel and bent down beside him, starting to dry him. "What's wrong!?" she cried out, heart pounding. "What happened!?"

He didn't answer... his gaze + hearing remained _far_ away from her.

Hana refused to leave his side though, at least for very long - in systemic order, despite her pounding heart + emotions, she worked to dry him best she could. She took the raincoat and threw it onto a big towel, and she tried to clean up the water where it pooled, but mostly she worked to help Balto. She got him covered again with another towel, but soon discovered that he was sweating profusely as well - really worried, she touched his forehead, and it was warm, but not feverish. But he'd been soaked; how could that be? Really worried, she leaned her head down, resting upon his chest-

-his heart beat like a jackhammer!

She jolted, even more convinced something had happened, but what!?

Other than a few scratches though, he didn't have a mark on him (she'd checked that _thoroughly_ )... somehow that helped her, a little...

Hana realized she was shaking, before forcing herself to calm down, slowly succeeding... he was here now, and he needed her to be there; that's what she's gotta do.

 _"I swear, I'll help you through this"_ she thought.

Out loud: "B-Balto?"

No answer.

A little sound. "If you can hear me, I'm here for you, and I'll stay by your side" Hana managed to whisper, tears falling, but she remained soft. "I'm- I'm gonna sit you up, okay?"

When he still didn't answer, it was harder to keep her 'composure'... but still, to get herself through it, she managed a little smile.

In the face of hardship, smile, just like she had done at her dad's funeral.

...

Working continuously, she managed to dry Balto off completely, and dress him in some of his spare clothes (embarrassing as it had been). She'd assured him the entire time that she was there, and that she'd be nearby if he needed her. For the rest of that night, aside from getting the groceries inside, she scrubbed the floor, doing her best to minimize the water stains that were sure to form overtime. After she was done, Hana wiped her forehead, and glanced at the unfamiliar over-sized raincoat. It just sat there on the towel, no longer dripping per-se, but still heavily saturated with water...

"..."

Hana jolted, turning in an instant - Balto sat there in the chair, slumped just as he had been a minute ago.

Touching a hand to her chest, she didn't move; had she imagined it?

His movements remained the same... eyes slowly blinked once in a while, his mouth moving slightly with each breath, stomach showing this too... nothing changed.

It teared at her heart, but still she waited.

His movements suddenly just stopped, making her worry as she moved over to him - she took his hand, rubbing it over and over with hers, feeling his pulse.

"...H..."

Hana gasped, looking up at him!

Balto's mouth trembled... then his fingers twitched against hers, quickly drawing her attention between them and him! It seemed like an eternity, but bit-by-bit he reacted, slowly looking straight at her, if still far away- her grip must have been shaking.

His breathing was heavy... "Ha-" he breathed, extremely faint; she had to strain to hear. "Hana..."

"I'm here, Balto" she whispered, holding his hand tightly, rubbing his arm with her free hand. "I'm here."

"I- I-I need..."

"What do you need?"

"To... t-to see... t-them."

Hana breathed out, but she shakily gripped his hand tighter, "Okay" she whispered. He didn't resist (or help) when she stood up, slowly + gently pulling him into a standing position, if with effort - their steps were one-at-a-time, each gradual, but luckily they didn't have to go very far.

The moment they went into the living room, Balto gasped, his entire body going rigid.

Yuki and Ame lay just where she'd left them, on their separate bed-spread, both still asleep. Yuki turned on her side a bit, almost curling into a ball, while Ame's squirmed more randomly, laying on his stomach. The sight brought a sense of warmth to Hana, and if it weren't for the situation, she would have smiled- as it was, the warmth would do. "There they are" she whispered, a little shaky, but assuring him as best as she could- she was here for him, and their children were healthy. "They're beautiful, Balto."

He began to tremble... then tears splattered her arm.

Hana jolted, looking at him; Balto was crying heavily, hair hiding his eyes, and his breathing was ragged again. Just when she worried what he was feeling:

"O-Oh god... t-they're safe... they're safe..."

At this point, her emotions hit another peak, but this time it wasn't just worry; that was relief, pure and simple relief, in his voice. Taking that as a good sign, Hana gently tugged his arm- "Please, Balto, lay down with them" she whispered, as gentle as she could. "With me; we'll make you feel calm."

"I can't..."

She hitched-

"I can't, Hana."

"B-Balto-"

"I want to" he whispered, voice almost hollow. "More than you know... but what happened, nothing will... I-I need to- to work this off, and crash... only then, I'll start to be... fine again."

"But-" Hana tried to say.

He squeezed her hand, _tightly_ , enough to make her gasp at the sensation.

"I will explain it... when I can; I can't now."

Not two seconds later, he let go, and her fingers tingled as the blood rushed back in - by the time Hana registered anything more than that, she heard noises everywhere; Balto was moving as if in fast-motion. He was digging through everything without normal regard, utensils and other small items flying over his shoulder, before he found what he was looking for (she only had a split-second glimpse; couldn't say). Before Hana could even ask, he moved again, entirely galvanized as he sat down at the table, turning on the lamp. Then he began to write down, on what she slowly saw was his little booklet, with numerous gestures and silent mutterings to himself...

This behavior, like that of an agitated wolf; it weighed her heart down.

 _"-work this off, and crash... only then, I'll start to be... fine again."_

Despite the sight of him like this, Hana gripped the wall-corner tightly, telling herself that it would be alright... over and over, and over again...

Sometime after that, and before she (eventually) went to bed, she did two things: gently picking up after him, putting things back to their rightful places - and she filled up a glass of water, leaving it there on the table for Balto.

/

 _The next morning_

When her alarm went off, Hana snoozed it within a second, lingering... but she needed to get up, so she blearily opened her eyes. She'd been up several times during the night to take care of Ame, who needed to be fed every two hours (because he drank so little each time), and that weighed against her body when she sat up.

Just then, Yuki popped up from her left, curious. "Mama?" she wondered, head tilted.

After the initial jolt, she slowly breathed out, humming a little. "How long have you been up, Yuki?" Hana whispered gently, if still bleary, quickly wiping at her eyes.

The little girl was unsure; she still didn't know too many words, being only one-year-old.

That gave Hana a little smile, even as she stretched, "Well, let's just say a little" she said gently, Yuki nodding without understanding (but with a smile at her tone). When Yuki hid behind her arm however, she was confused, until Yuki pointed- she was gesturing at Ame.

Hana jolted; only now did she remember Yuki slept through Ame's birth, and the time since then... then she looked at Yuki. "That's Ame, Yuki" she breathed, entirely gentle, "Can you say 'Ame'?"

"Am- Am-e?"

"Ame."

"Mmh... A-may?"

"Good, very good, Yuki" she said soothingly, ruffling her daughter's hair; that got her to smile big. "Ame is your brother, Yuki. Part of the family."

"He... not bad?" Yuki wondered.

A little hum, Hana rubbing her daughter's back gently. "No, he's not bad, Yuki" she whispered, "He's good."

Yuki's only response was a little sound, looking at Ame again, completely unsure... understandable though, as for her, Ame hadn't existed till now. However, Yuki's attention then wandered, and she became sad: "Daddy..."

Hana jolted, looking toward the kitchen - she barely had to lean over to see Balto was _still_ working, and her heart felt heavy again.

"I'm sad" Yuki breathed, looking down.

She quickly drew her daughter against herself, rubbing Yuki's back, while the little girl looked up at her. "He has a good reason" Hana assured, both to Yuki and herself. "He, uh, had a bad day yesterday, so he's... making sure to get all the bad feelings out."

"Bad?" Yuki asked, worried.

"Yes, Yuki" she whispered, gentle. "If he still had those bad feelings, he might yell at you, or me- none of us want that, right?"

The little girl quickly shook her head, though still not understanding what she said-

-a big sigh was let loose, startling them both.

From the kitchen table, Balto slowly slumped against the chair - from the sidelines, Hana strained to hear what he might be saying!

She didn't need to: "Finally-"

Hana breathed out; his voice, while heavy and weary, was closer to normal!

"-it's done."

Then just like that, he leaned forward more and more, before resting his head against the table... only his breathing remained afterward.

Oh Balto- now he'd crashed.

"Daddy?" Yuki called, even more worried.

It took her a moment, mouth trembling, but Hana pulled herself together.

"Daddy is fine, Yuki" she said gently, with her best smile. "He's just tired; let him rest."

* * *

 _That night_

When he woke up, Tyler felt like he was made of lead... when he realized he was breathing, heart beating steadily, he just slumped again...

Slowly, he gripped the edges of the table, harder and harder until his fingers began to spasm from the effort... only then did he flinch back.

 _"That hurt"_ he thought, brain muddled. _"I'm... I'm still here..."_

Slowly, he lifted his head, vision a little blurry... he noted the glass of water sitting in front of him. Tyler just stared at it, until the reason came vaguely; Hana had left it there, he knew that somehow.

Fingers twitching, he slowly reached for it, but his grip was slippery until the third attempt... the moment the water touched his parched throat, he guzzled it down as fast as possible, bits streaming down his cheeks. He was panting after that, throat so full of relief that he couldn't speak, before his instincts remembered what he'd been doing all night. Slowly, he looked down at the table - there, among the ruined remains of a pencil, lay his previously-empty booklet. Tyler remembered that he bought that particular one only a week ago, and how he'd intended to, eventually, fill it up with everything he knew about what it was like to be a half-wolf.

But last night, 'eventually' turned into an obsessive 'might-not-have-another-chance'...

Shakily, Tyler opened it up, scanning through... the table of contents was surprisingly well-organized, and his breathing got heavier, trying to make sense of the memory blur that made this. Chapter titles were numerous: Expected Behavior; Baby-to-Toddler; Toddler-to-Child, The 10-year-distinction, etc etc. He slowly flipped through the pages, finding baby-to-toddler just as he expected (making it up as they went along, hoping it was true for all half-wolves), but the toddler-to-child near-perfectly detailed what he'd gone through, and likely what Yuki + Ame would too. The ten-year-distinction though was half-blank... his experience had chosen to be as a human, and the only thing he knew about the other experience... was that ten-years-old was adult for wolves. Then there was 'Miscellaneous', which detailed all the theories, oddities, and everything else he could think of (but still room for plenty more).

 _"Balto, you can- you can help guide our child? You can help guide 'me', on what it'll be like to raise a half-wolf?"_

Tyler slowly gasped, animated-

-fate had been almost too cruel to Hana.

If he'd been gone, Hana would've been forced to raise them herself, without this knowledge to guide her. He knew in his heart it wouldn't have stopped her, no matter how she felt, but it still wouldn't have been fair... not that she would've complained though.

"Ha-" he whispered, before trying again; his throat had nearly constricted. "Hana?"

When nothing sounded, he slowly looked around, standing up just as slow... however, he soon found a white slip attached to the back of the door. With the same speed, he eventually pulled it off-

 _Balto, I'm out working_

 _Yuki + Ame are w/ me_

 _I have help watching them, in case they need me there_

 _Hope you're doing well; I love you_

 _Hana_

Breathing out, Tyler looked around; he only just noticed it was nighttime, but he knew it had been bright when he felt exhausted.

"Hana" he whispered to himself, "You must have- have called me in sick, and picked up the slack at your job."

That was so much like her... he trembled a bit, nearly crumbling the slip before he stopped. He was weak, physically and mentally, but he was aware of himself again... it was finally over; every moment after what happened had seemed like an eternity. Even his efforts to talk, to try and tell Hana that he _would_ be all right (sorta), that he wanted to see Yuki + Ame- that had taken everything he had.

...

An hour must have gone by - he mindlessly rolled another pencil between his left + right hands, repeatedly, not paying much attention. His mind still felt a little fragile, going over his memories of Hana, Yuki, and the recently-born Ame, all without rest.

Footsteps sounded... then a voice outside said: "That's where I work, Yuki. What did you think?"

"Uh... it bright?"

Tyler hitched, heart starting to beat faster as he turned his head-

Then the door opened; Hana held Ame in the baby carrier's front, while Yuki was attached behind her head. The little girl saw him first: "Huh? Daddy!" Yuki cheered, 'standing up' behind Hana's head (while she gasped in complete shock). "You up!"

"I... I am up" he breathed, blinking.

"Hehe!" the little girl giggled, before a thought struck her. "Ahhhhh... dark. No play" Yuki sulked, arms crossed with a pout.

That got him to make a sound, very slowly anyway. "I promise I'll- I'll play with you all day tomorrow, Yuki" he assured, which cheered the little girl right back up, Ame reacting to the noises-

-and which finally jolted Hana. "Ah! You're awake!" she exclaimed, completely worried, but full of relief as she walked toward him. "You're okay? Tell me you're okay, please."

Glancing at Yuki, Tyler took a moment, trying to pull himself together. "I will be" he whispered faintly, taking her hand (she squeezed back hard), "But... I don't want them to worry."

Within seconds, recognition crossed her face, and Hana slowly nodded. "Okay- Yuki" she breathed, gently reaching back and picking the little girl up, putting her down on the floor. "Go get ready for bed, okay?"

"Mmmh..."

He felt like he should say something, that he should help her, but his attempt to say anything didn't work - so just sitting there, he listened as Hana put their two children to bed. Her singing a little lullaby put him at ease a little better (after many seconds), as Yuki liked listening, but that 'effort' put her to sleep in the process. Ame took longer, just because he was curious, but eventually she tired him out... though it took twenty minutes. He silently breathed out again, another minute passing before Hana stepped up beside him, hands running across his arm.

"Oh, Balto..." his lover whispered, resting her head on his shoulder, trembling. "Oh-"

"Hana, sweet Hana" he breathed back, pulling her head into the crook of his neck. "I'm so sorry, leaving you to deal with everything."

"I-It's okay" Hana mumbled, before lifting her head - her eyes were teary, but she got even closer, kissing him with pure affection. "But..."

He let out a breath. "'But'" he whispered faintly, slowly gesturing - Hana pulled up a chair immediately, side-by-side to him, taking his hand and never letting go; he didn't mind.

There was silence between them for awhile...

"At first, I just went to the store" Tyler started; he _needed_ to start there, or he'd never tell her what happened. "You saw the groceries I got, that I left outside the door. Right?"

"Mmh-hmm."

"Well, that trip to-and-back took an hour, as expected" he breathed, looking down. "After that, on an instinct, I tried to catch another pheasant; I wanted to celebrate Ame's birth."

Hana didn't answer; just rubbed his hand with her fingers, which helped keep him calm(er).

"Even though it was raining, it was still technically around dinner-time... many were inside, but there were still people out and about, even in that storm. I had to be extra careful not to be seen, though- I-I did have a few close calls."

"*little gasp* Did anyone see you?"

"A few people, three separate times - I had to put on the dog routine, and keep it up, before they slowly assumed I was a stray" Tyler whispered, not hiding his relief at that. "They assumed I was some sort of hybrid, as those do exist- but each time my heart hammered in my chest. All that, in addition to searching for birds, took longer than I expected... about two hours."

Her grip tightened, but her rubbing motions extended up to his arm, which felt even better. "But you found another pheasant?"

"I did, after being soaked to the bone" he admitted, faint again. "I chased it... I managed to catch it... things just-"

He paused for a long time; Hana's rubbing told him that much.

"-it just... went wrong."

She merely listened; bless her heart.

"When I caught the bird, I'd been aiming to land on the other bank of the river, after a jump" Tyler continued, getting more tense. "I made the landing- but there was so much rainwater, that it was slippery... I fell in."

Hana gasped, and her hand trembled.

He was rasping now: "The current was stronger than it looked" he breathed, remembering the thrashing vividly. "I barely got enough breath to keep myself conscious... and the whole time, that river carried me all the way across town. Finally, just as I losing strength, my claws snagged on something- I-I dunno what it was, but I grabbed it with everything I had left. With my fur weighing me down, I changed back, completely naked... I could barely yell for help. But I-I didn't want to- to... I kept climbing, and I finally just collapsed on the side of the road. It's all vague after that..."

His sleeve had nearly become soaked, and Hana's grip was almost deathly-tight.

"...people helped me, covered me up... they-they must have... but all I could think about was getting back."

Just like that, Hana slumped against him completely, trembling + sobbing - he held her back tightly, barely aware he was doing the same.

"I didn't want to die" Tyler rasped. "I didn't want to leave you alone..."

"Balto-" she whispered, extremely weak, but her grip only tightened if that were possible - she pulled back, then kissed him hard, but out of desperate, relieved love. One kiss turned into many, each of which he met, kissing her back with the same whirlwind of emotions. Sometimes she pushed him forward, where it seemed she settled into his lap, and other times he pushed her forward, Hana hanging over the chair with only his arms holding her up. The final one had them land on the floor by accident, but they barely felt the impact. At that point, their lips had become bruised, and their clothes were slightly askew as they panted... Hana's cheeks turned a faint pink, when she noticed him lingering over her, but she didn't look more relieved in her life.

Letting out a long breath, Tyler just slumped onto Hana; her arms held him tightly.

"I'm glad you're okay" she whispered softly, somehow, right in his ear. "But I'll always be here for you."

"I know, I know" he breathed, loving her warmth.

"And take your time; you don't have to change again, until you're ready."

After a moment: "But you love it when I do" he whispered faintly, brain still muddled, resting against her chest. "You love cuddling against me like that."

"Yeah, I do, but I love you more."

Tyler slowly shook a little. "You're still amazing, Hana" he breathed, "You're as affected as I am, but you're still moving forward, trying to comfort me with just the right tones. I love you, Hana, and how you do it... but I'll never understand _how_ you can do that."

She didn't answer; just brushed her fingers through his hair.

"But I don't need to" he whispered. "I'm just gonna enjoy it."

"I'm here for you, Balto" Hana breathed again, entirely soft. "Yuki and Ame are here too; we'll stay together, no matter what."

He didn't need to try, to see that in his mind...

"Yeah" he admitted, just resting. "We'll stay together."

* * *

 **Yeah, that happened- it basically _demanded_ to, all things considered.**

 **Not something that could be shaken off so easily either - but he's not alone.**


	6. Family Moments

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

"Waaaawwwwwaaaaa!"

One of many vocal cries Ame made- for such a quiet boy, he had a set of lungs.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh" Tyler breathed, trying to soothe his son, gently rocking him - truth be told though, he was a little off today, but that might've been the repeat of sleep deprivation that having a baby entailed. It didn't help that the neighbor complaints had re-emerged... at least with Yuki,they had been manageable, sorta spread-out, but Ame...

"Do he think he's hungry again?"

"No" Hana answered, ironing their clothes, a curious Yuki watching for the moment. "It hasn't been two hours yet... he probably needs to be burped; that schedule seems to be inconsistent for him."

"All right then" he breathed, gently cradling his son against his shoulder - still rocking a little, he began to pat his boy's back. As expected though, this took awhile, long enough for him to think a bit... he slowly settled on a thought he had recently: how throughout his life, he'd identified himself by his human name 'Tyler', but never as 'Balto'.

But after his near-death-experience, was that right?

 _"I am both, at the very least"_ he thought faintly, feeling heavier even at the 'thought' of what happened... but that was required; he needed to face it, if he was to move on (Hana would do no less). _"Thus far the world knows me as one, but Hana, Yuki, and hopefully Ame soon, they know me as the other."_

Just then, Ame burped a little, jolting him - Tyler quickly stopped his hand, then gently wiped Ame's mouth, the little boy trying to grasp his arm during this. His eyes were curious, yet Ame still didn't recognize him yet.

"You done, mama?"

"Almost, Yuki."

"Yah! Ahaha!" the little girl cheered, jumping up and down easily, dress flowing with her. "I wanna play soon!"

"Well, we do have time for it" Hana assured, smiling-

-to which he added onto. "We could even go to the park" he added gently, Ame squirming in his grip, "Not you know, close to the main areas, but more on the outskirts - a lot of wide open spaces, where we have plenty of room to run around like maniacs."

To say Yuki gasped, raced over, and hugged his legs would be an understatement. "We can!?" she asked with big eyes, completely joyful. "Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy! Can we, mama, daddy!? Can we!?"

Hana just laughed hard, with a big grin. "Why not?"

"Yaay!"

He just laughed too, ruffling his daughter's hair, who pretty much liked that too.

/

 _The park_

In the distance, Hana could see other people, either with kids, lovers, or pets - still, the air was so peaceful, with only a gentle breeze flowing in the wind. Right now she sat on a bench, gently trying to breastfeed Ame, who couldn't stop squirming.

Just ahead of her though?

"Heheehaaaahaha!"

"I'm gonna get you!"

"Nuh-uh, daddy!"

"Still gotta try!"

Yuki was basically a speed demon, running across the meadow as fast as her legs could carry her, running in circles or suddenly turning around (whatever struck her fancy). Balto deliberately chased after her at a mild run, making grabs that intentionally missed and/or 'slipped', but they got Yuki giggling as she raced. The sight made Hana grin a little, wondering where did Yuki get all that energy from? She was almost inexhaustible, and she'd started to eat a lot too, unlike Ame thus far. Still, Ame seemed to give in, feeding from her- it felt weird, but she knew it would help him grow up to be a fine young man.

Half-wolf or otherwise.

Yuki's laughter got louder, making her look up- the little girl was barreling straight toward her, the biggest grin imaginable on her face. Then the little girl skidded to a halt in front of her legs, waved quickly, then proceeded to crawl underneath the bench! Hana just started to make a sound, before Balto stopped just in front of her, catching his breath briefly. "Part of the game" he whispered quickly, before he got down as well, moving under her legs. "Alright, where'd you go?"

His tone made her struggle not to giggle; he was being completely playful (plus she saw their daughter crawl out the side).

Yuki made a giggling motion, just silent, doing the 'quiet' gesture as she sneaked up on her daddy-

-it made her feel warm just to watch.

"Come on, I know you're under here-"

"Here!"

Taking a flying leap, Yuki landed on his back - 'luckily' for Balto, he'd expected that, so he didn't hit his head as he crawled back out. "Sneaky one, aren't you?" he asked, his smile a little cheeky, before he grabbed Yuki and hung her upside for a few seconds (Yuki squealing with raucous happy laughter the entire time). Hana couldn't help but laugh too, grinning big at her daughter's joy, including Yuki's big smile after Balto put her down. Just then though, a butterfly floated by, getting the little girl's attention... and with her age's typical attention span, caused her to chase after it, giggling.

"Don't go too far, Yuki!" she called.

"I won't, mommy! Haha!"

Balto slowly sat down beside her, glancing at what she was doing, then quickly looking away- she giggled a little at his tiny burst of embarrassment.

"Don't worry; Ame will finish soon" Hana assured; for whatever reason, that was just how it was. She certainly wasn't used to two-hour-at-a-time sleep deprivation either though, but she wasn't gonna let it stop her; she got through it with Yuki, and she'll get through it with Ame.

"It's just so nice, so peaceful, and Yuki's laughter completes it" her lover whispered, closing his eyes as he leaned back... and slowly let out a long, _long_ breath, slumping a little.

It made her feel better to see that; he'd gone through a lot in a short time, but he was beginning to heal - even when she watched Yuki's progress (trying to do little cartwheels now), Hana was glad to have him beside her. Especially now after what happened, and her sudden nightmare about what if- she shook her head, breathing a little faster - no, don't dwell on that; no matter how real it seemed, this was even more real.

"Hana?"

"Hmm?"

Slowly, still leaning back, Balto's hand covered her own - his grip was tense, but his emotions remained the same. "Have you read my little booklet yet?" he whispered, tilting his head toward her.

"I- I wasn't sure if it was okay with you" Hana admitted, with a little smile. "But it is?"

"Yeah" he breathed, gentle. "What it's about will be clear, the moment you start reading - though, if you don't wanna know everything that will happen, you can avoid reading certain sections. You know, if you want."

She stroked his fingers, "You make it sound so mysterious" she teased, but genuinely curious. "Is that all?"

"No" Balto breathed, his lip curving a little more. "However, the other things would be so much easier to explain, once you've read it. Would take a third of the time."

"You're lazy- hehehe" she teased, before laughing, "No, I can't even say that with a straight face-!"

He just chuckled, covering her hand with both of his.

After a few seconds, Hana returned the gesture, while baby Ame tried to crawl over her leg + toward Balto (who obliged Ame by picking him up, while she adjusted her shirt to cover herself). "But, the other things you have to say, are they serious?" she wondered in a gentle tone, so as not to discourage Ame.

Her lover was pre-occupied with entertaining Ame, but he slowly nodded without looking.

 _"Well then, looks like I have a booklet to read"_ Hana thought, before she waved Yuki back over; starting to get far without noticing.

/

 _That night_

Tyler gently tucked in Yuki, who was sleeping peacefully, having a little smile the entire time - Ame was also tucked in, just opposite Yuki, having been put down about an hour ago. He spent another moment watching them, before he realized he'd thought of himself as 'Tyler' again, subconsciously anyway-

 _"Balto"_ he thought slowly, tapping his knee a little.

Mmm... well, it wouldn't exactly change overnight, mentally... plus 'everyone' here in the city (save his family) knew him as Tyler, legally, and he'd become used to that for years.

Another few moments were spent thinking like this, until the sound of a chair against the kitchen floor jolted him. He looked behind him, seeing Hana slowly approach, eyes on their children - gently, she sat down beside him, wrapping her arm around his. That brought back his little smile, and he slowly rubbed her arm with his free hand, causing her to lean against his shoulder. Even as they watched, Yuki cuddled her blanket very tightly, while Ame's head lolled in place a little. Then without a word, Hana handed him his little booklet, which he took easily.

"So?" he whispered softly.

"Mmh" Hana breathed back, with the same tone, "I only had enough time to start reading a little, but I think that was enough. I can't believe they can start changing at only one-year-old."

"Well, that's the earliest I think" he assured, gently taking her hand, fingers intertwining. "Whether it is or not isn't certain. At first though, it'll be unconsciously, like when they get cranky... I certainly know I did, once anyway. It's vague, but one moment I was on two feet, and the next I was on all four paws."

"And then they'll be changing at will before long?"

"Yeah, they'll learn how by feeling it out. Telling them when they can't though - that's no different than telling your average toddler what they can't do; just gotta lay down the law."

Hana slowly hummed, rubbing her head against his shoulder briefly. "And I imagine like a human toddler, they'll be insistent about it while we do so?"

"Yeah" Ty- _Balto_ answered, kissing Hana's forehead. "Regular wolves' pups explore the moment they can walk, and only once their parents bring them back home, repeatedly, do they then learn not to wander. It's the same principle here, except we've been fortunate about that-"

"-yeah, since we don't usually let them out of the house, at least out of our grasps anyway" Hana whispered back, caressing his cheek now. "I worry about that though; is that healthy for them?"

"Only if they feel cooped-up, then it's not" he quickly assured, "You'll be able to tell when that begins, easily."

"Good. But what are you getting at, Balto?"

He was silent for a stretch... "Just that, we may need to get ready, Hana" he reluctantly breathed, more quiet now.

"Huh?"

"Consider our situation" Tyler continued, holding her hands tightly, looking straight at her. "Ame almost never stops crying once he starts up, and we live in an apartment where loudness carries easily. It was fine enough with Yuki, but people are starting to complain again... if this keeps up for months or more, how long until someone snaps?"

Hana slowly breathed out, her eyes starting to shine - it pained him to say all this, but she needed to know.

"And once our kids start to change, their wolf instincts will come out with it" Tyler whispered, glancing down. "That will include howling - people may mistake them for pets, but this place doesn't allow them. Everyone here will know that..."

Her grip tightened.

"And immunizations-" he breathed quietly, looking up again. "Hana, my parents never gave me any, for the same reasons we don't; it's too risky, because Yuki and Ame could change too easily, or they might react badly because they're part-wolf. My parents avoided this because they lived under the radar, but here... eventually they're going to call, and then pay visits."

Hana's breathing became a little heavier, before she lifted her gaze - her eyes were wet, yet the worry had it's basis in determination.

"What do we do, Balto?" she asked, holding up their hands. "How do we protect them, our family?

"In the city?" he whispered, briefly closing his eyes. "I'm not sure we can."

She gasped-

"If we're forced to, the only options would be to get a house..."

That lead to silence between them - they didn't have that kind of money right now, savings included. In a 'few' years, _maybe_ the smallest of permanent residence homes in the city, but...

"O-Or?" Hana whispered.

"Or-" he breathed, looking straight at her again. "After we endure things here, as long as possible... we find a home in the country, Hana. Before that, subtly preparing everything, to be ready at any time, just in case."

She could only stare at him, not that he blamed her in the slightest.

* * *

Time went on, doing their best across the months, even a year - Hana had decided to quit college, because she felt she'd be fine without the full 4-year experience. She'd also quit her job, partly because of Ame's constant breastfeeding in the beginning, but mostly her not wanting to be away from them... at the same time, Balto assured he made enough at this job, to support them well enough without losses (give-or-take some tight budgeting).

One morning, among many:

"Food now."

"It's almost done, Yuki" Hana breathed gently, Ame sleeping in the carrier she wore while cooking. "Just be patient."

"Food now!"

"Look I'm sorry, but-"

 _"Food now!"_

"Yuki" she warned, tone harder-

-she heard the little girl jolt, before Yuki promptly ran - when Hana turned though, she jolted; Yuki had changed! Her skin color was a little darker due to brown fur, and wolf ears popped out of her hair, with a little tail even. Even as she watched, Yuki moving over to sit in the corner, at least before she ran off to the other side of the room (knocking over the wastebasket). Jolting again, not wanting her to bother Balto, she called over to Yuki: "Alright, forget patient" she said, "You can have _one_ biscuit."

Yuki came running like an overeager dog, right to her feet, where she snatched the biscuit out of her hand easily - but when Yuki stood up, she was human again, with a little grin.

Hana could only breathe out, but ended it with a little smile - cranky or not, Yuki's wolf form was so cute, just like her. She glanced back at the sleeping Ame, suspended by the carrier, even as Yuki munched her biscuit- just then, Balto came into the kitchen too.

"By the sound of it, something happened" he breathed, getting a glass of water.

"Our cranky daughter just changed into a wolf" she said gently, hearing his little hum, before he started drinking anyway. "Just as you predicated."

"I was off by months though" he noted, but shrugging, making her giggle.

"Cra-ke?" Yuki breathed below them, confused; that made them both smile.

...

Another day, at dinner:

Humming slightly to himself, Tyler looked all over the map details - this was the community, with many small houses along the perimeter, and lots of wide-open spaces. Even as he looked at this though, Yuki ate her bowl of 'mush' (hehe, joking) by hand at the table, even knocking the bowl over, though he was too focused to register that part at all.

"Mmh. Oh, daddy? You eat too?"

"I will soon, don't worry" he assured his daughter, though still without looking. "Mommy's cooking it though, so I got time."

From the kitchen came a little laugh: "You got that right" Hana called, making him smile, before he glanced up at her gasp. "Yuki! You shouldn't overturn your bowl like that!"

"I-I sorry..."

"*a little sigh* Well, it's not broken or anything, but you will have to be more careful. And only use the spoon next time, okay?"

"But-"

"Listen to her, Yuki" Balto answered, drawing the little girl's attention. "She knows what's best; I listen to her after all."

Despite the little look + smile Hana gave him, that slowly made Yuki give in: "O-k" she breathed, before looking at her stained hands. "But this fun!"

"I know, but still" he continued easily; internally though, he saw where their little girl was coming from. Even as an adult, it was kinda fun to eat with no rules, and he didn't think anyone could disagree - just had to follow the rules anyway, for politeness.

Still being a year-and-a-half old, that went right over Yuki's head, and she made a face, sulking. "It fun" she stated, a little stubborn.

Hana just giggled though, sharing a look with him.

"You still gotta eat it the way we tell you too" Tyler breathed, leaning toward his daughter, who noticed this. "That's good."

Yuki jolted, surprised. "Good?"

"Yes."

"Mmh..." their daughter breathed, struggling to think, apparently.

Hana touched his shoulder briefly, before she bent down in front of Yuki, wiping the remaining food off her chin; their daughter squirmed in the process, which made him smile a little.

/

And of course, little incidents happened all the time - once, while Hana had been cooking, Yuki had curiously tried to reach the top of the table (pulling on it's cloth in the process). It was only just in time that Tyler grabbed the bottle that nearly fell on Yuki, though luckily she didn't hurt herself... "Yuki" he breathed, relieved, but not sure whether he was supposed to tell her off for climbing or just wear her out. Another moment happened while he'd been working: Yuki, again out of curiosity, had secretly started to climb the dresser while Hana was ironing. This nearly resulting in it falling on both of them, while Hana made a narrow save, and he'd been quite shocked upon hearing it.

Close-call moments like that tended to be a sore spot for him...

Yet still, he had his children seated at one point, right in front of him - Yuki was curious, and while Ame recognized him + his sister now, he wouldn't get what was going on (just react to it).

 _"But that's okay"_ Tyler thought, _"In time."_

"Yuki, have you noticed anything?" he asked out loud, gentle. "Like you might run on two feet, then suddenly you're on all fours? Or you get cute little ears in your hair?"

Yuki laughed, before she 'shook her head' repeatedly, then she changed right then and there- almost instantly too. "Like this, daddy?" she asked, cheerful yet still curious - at her side, Ame's own curiosity won out and he tried to grab her ears, but fell down a little, drawing Yuki's attention. However, his son got back up on hands and knees, shaking his head too... then the boy changed, to his shock. Ame just blinked, still not sure what was going on, while Yuki hummed a little, obviously glad her brother had changed too like her. It wasn't long before she sniffed at her brother's new scent, curious about it and such, while Ame just reacted as per usual-

 _"But, Ame's barely even six months old yet"_ Tyler thought, nonplussed, blinking several times. _"I... I-I guess I was way off then..."_

Though, he'd basically made that up in the first place, so-

"Daddy?"

He brought himself back, looking at Yuki: "Yes, sweetie?"

"Can you do this too?" she asked, curious, tail wagging. "Can mama?"

Balto slowly breathed out, but smiled a little. "No, mommy can't change like you two do" he whispered, gentle, "That's just how she is. But me-"

Yuki gasped, absolutely fascinated when he changed right in front of her, Ame included in that - however, when he finished, she giggled happily. "So cool!" she cheered, "But you slow!"

"Hehehe, well I'm older; it's not so easy for me to change fast anymore" he answered, slowly bending flat against the floor, getting level with them.

"You are dif- diffe- mmh!"

"Yes, I look different from you and your brother, Yuki" Tyler whispered gently, watching as Ame crawled over, sniffing at his fur curiously. "I'm a big wolf, while you're smaller ones."

...

Cleaning up the accumulated stains in the bathtub wasn't Hana's favorite activity, but it needed to be done - they were always so hard to wash off, especially these 'grease' stains. Running a little water helped, and she made sure to keep to a thin trickle, making sure not to waste it. When done, she wiped her forehead of sweat, then hummed as she gradually packed up all the things, right into the bucket. Standing up, Hana carried her things outside the bathroom, turning to put them away before she turned and-

"Ahh!" she freaked 'a little'.

-the entire living room had been torn up - Wolf-Yuki stood in the middle, while Wolf-Ame was on the sidelines looking at his sister.

"You gotta be kidding me..."

Yuki just yawned big, eyes bleary, slowly changing Hana's emotions a little... but still, working the bathroom, combined with the schedule + lack of sleep, meant she was a little low on energy right now.

The front door opened just then, Balto walking inside, after he locked the door behind him. "Hey" he breathed, starting to say more before he jolted, staring at the living room's state. "Wha- what happened!?"

"Ask your daughter over there" Hana slowly answered.

Balto just breathed out, looking at Yuki, who was currently trying to take a nap without a care in the world. "Well, this is just-" he answered, before jolting, turning toward her. "Hey, since when is she 'only' my daughter?"

She managed to crack a smile, before looking at the living room. "Sorry" she whispered, steeling herself, "But well, I should get started."

Before she took more than a step, Balto held her arm gently, stopping her - he rubbed her arm a bit with his other hand, head tilted.

"It's okay, Hana" he breathed, determined. " _I'll_ clean this up best I can, and keep an eye on Ame... after you put Yuki to bed, get some rest yourself; you can tell Yuki off tomorrow."

"But I should help you-"

"No arguments" he said, but with a little smile. "I know you can do it, yet you've earned some rest."

Seeing that he meant it, Hana slowly kissed him- Balto easily returned it, lingering for five seconds before they actually did their jobs.

/

Tyler still couldn't get over Yuki getting sick, via eating through the inside of a silica packet - first they just came home, and there she was, vomiting small bits and chunks. Hana had gotten to her first, while he quickly picked up the packet, his heart pounding as he fought not to panic! Still, he managed to advise Hana that they couldn't take her to either a hospital or a vet center; not if Yuki was gonna change. So while she watched over Yuki, he ran outside to find the nearest payphone, sending texts to Hana about everything he heard as quickly as possible. To his extreme relief, silica wasn't toxic... just irritating to the digestive system, but they were lucky it had avoided her respiratory tract completely.

The moment he got home, Hana had basically tackled him, shaking out of sheer relief as he did - though, then a curious-if-confused Yuki gently tugged their legs at some point, saying she wanted a snack. Whatever sounds they made in response probably said everything about their feelings, but the important thing was that their little girl was okay.

And now-

"I wanna walk."

"Yuki-"

"I wanna walk!"

"-you just got over being sick, baby."

Balto slowly breathed out, looking up from his detailed plans about the countryside; not something you'd hear every day from regular children, but wolves were the ancestors of dogs, and generally they needed their exercise. Now he was starting to get worried too; this meant Yuki was starting to feel cooped up here, and unless they regularly took her out, then bad things.

 _"I wanna walk!"_

"Okay then" he called quickly, surprising Yuki (and Hana). "Want me to take you?" he continued, catching Hana's eyes ("We'll be fine" he mouthed to her).

Yuki brightened completely, jumping up and down on all four paws. "Oh yes arf arf arf arf!" she cheered.

"But tuck in the ears, Yuki."

Their little girl stopped jumping, curiously pawing at her ears before she shook her head, changing back easily. "Like this?"

"Perfect" Tyler assured, standing up.

"Hehehe!" Yuki cheered, changing again without knowing it-

"-your ears are showing again" Hana gently chided, even as he pulled out his coat + Yuki's.

"Oh" Yuki breathed, shaking her head again to change back. "Ready!" she called, but bouncing on her heels with a big grin. "And can't wait!"

No, he didn't think so, hehe.

...

Humming to herself slightly, Hana enjoyed the light breeze, Ame and Yuki there with her (attached to the baby carrier) while Balto was at work. Despite this not _quite_ counting as another walk, Yuki seemed satisfied with the arrangement, as her curiosity pretty much abounded at the world around them. Ame was getting heavier too... but though he could walk now, he was still so shy and quiet, unlike his sister. Even after he grew though, his crying didn't stop sometimes - it was helped by the earplugs Balto had gotten, which they alternated wearing on designated sleep nights (now that Ame no longer needed to breastfeed), trying to share the sleep deprivation. He insisted; she had done a lot already and he wanted to help share, especially since he felt she deserved the sleep more.

That, and the last traces of Balto's stress vanishing, certainly made her feel better. Though she thought he might be up to something - a few times, he'd been out for reasons that he wouldn't say. At first Hana thought he might be hunting again, but he claimed that he'd sworn it off - well, in the city anyway, he'd slowly amended after the 'outburst'; he actually wasn't sure about the subject right now (and she believed him).

Still, she wondered what he was doing...

Behind her, Yuki adjusted a little - Hana looked back, and with a sound, quickly pulled Yuki's hood back up-

-didn't want those ears showing at a wrong moment.

But then Hana noticed the others in the park today - a number of kids playing, their mothers nearby, talking and laughing together. It made her feel strange to see this, but she knew why she couldn't join in, and kept walking onward after a moment before she could be tempted.

A little while later, after they'd inspected + sniffed some flowers, Yuki was holding her hand as she walked alongside her. A passerby with a dog soon came close: "Good afternoon, miss" he breathed, nodding to her. "Cute kids."

"Hear that?" she said gently to Ame and Yuki, "He thinks you're cute-"

"Woah! Woah boy!"

*bark! bark!*

Yuki reacted instinctively before Hana could stop her; the two-and-a-half-year-old got on all fours, and went 'Grr' right in the dog's face. Her gasp was too well hidden in the dog's whimper, hiding behind the man's feet while she quickly picked Yuki right up.

"I'm sorry!" she breathed quickly, a little panicked. "I'm so sorry!"

Quickly, Hana ran home as fast as she could - her haste drew attention for that reason, but still she worried they still might see Yuki's ears and her fur! Only when she made it home, close the door and lock it did she slump against the wall, completely relieved and panting a little. The squirming of her two children brought her out of it, and she quickly put Yuki down, the little girl confused and worried about her. Not wanting to worry her too much, Hana slowly touched Yuki's shoulder, trying for a little sincere smile.

It seemed to work, at least a little.

* * *

 **Hinting at the troubles they'll receive behind-the-scenes fairly soon... but this time, having our Wolfman's experience to help out through the montage of moments, and to prepare much earlier than in the movie.**


	7. Preparations

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

Tyler felt they were at the breaking point, in more ways than one... but still, it had taken years, since Ame was born; more time than he'd counted on.

Not that they wanted to move out; this little apartment was their home, and they wished it would remain that way for a while longer. Yet still, they'd been quietly preparing, as he'd outlined - empty boxes lay stacked inside the closets, they were stockpiling physical cash, everything essential that they needed to bring was marked (some electrical items included; luckily, he'd found out all but a few of the country houses had wiring and flowing water - they could work with that), and numerous other details. Hana went over the details with him regularly, asking questions, and he'd done his best to answer what it outlined. He still remembered one conversation they had:

 _"You said before, it was 'quite a distance'... how much did you mean?"_

 _"Hours" he whispered, holding her close to him. "Hours and hours away from the city."_

 _Hana gasped a little, but he understood her shock._

 _"It's not barren out there though" he continued, trying to soothe her. "There are convenience stores that aren't too far by bike, and especially cars. Schools are more far-out, but they're not impossible to visit either. And-"_

 _"I get it, Balto."_

 _Falling silent, he wondered if he was scaring with this... all her life, she'd been a city girl, no matter how surprisingly well-adjusted she became when things weren't convenient._

 _"I understand what you're saying" Hana whispered, running her fingers through his hair. "A-And thank you, for telling me... I'll get over the shock, and I'll keep the knowledge in my heart. I'll adapt."_

 _"You're so strong, Hana-"_

 _"-so you always say, mmh."_

Bringing himself back, Balto was secretly glad that he'd managed to get his project done in time... selling all but two hadn't been a problem, but the unusual requests he made to the workers had certainly gotten attention. Especially when he said what it was for-

-well anyway, back to today.

Right now, he sat at home alone, holding Ame in his lap - Hana had Yuki with her while shopping (their daughter had been curious, insistent too). Ame just moved his head, rubbing against his leg by instinct; it made him smile, holding his son close, who liked that too. "You're so warm daddy" Ame breathed, content.

"I would hope so, Ame" he whispered, gentle. "Even when I'm human, I still have my fur working deep inside, to help make sure I stay warm."

His son looked at him then. "You're different, daddy" Ame whispered, tilting his head. "As a wolf, I mean. I feel different too, when I'm one."

He just hummed, a little warmer. "Well, being a wolf is different from being human, Ame" he answered, his son nodding, "Very different."

Ame smiled, curling against him again. "But so strong too" he whispered, "You must go hunting sometimes, catching animals."

Balto paused upon hearing that, but still smiled, rubbing his son's back a little. "A little, Ame" he admitted carefully, though his tone didn't change, "It's not always about being strong though; you have to think, wait for the right moment, and a lot of other things."

"Could you teach me, daddy?"

He slowly looked down, seeing his son's head raised, curious and a little hopeful... he wasn't sure what to say, until the thought of their preparations came to mind. Adding to that, if Yuki heard wind of this (was bound to), she'd be equally demanding for him to teach her out of excitement, if not more so due to her excitable nature.

A little smile. "One day, Ame" he promised, just holding his son. "One day."

/

Hana worked the laundry machine, watching for a moment as it spun, before glancing back into the living room - right now, Balto was watching their children play, Yuki the most active of the two.

It made her smile-

-she was worried though; Yuki had started howling awhile back, and Ame imitated what he heard his sister do, soon learning how to do so consciously as well. Anyone in the apartment building could hear this, with Balto wryly calling it 'Strike Two' (having predicted this), but what could they do? Some might be sympathetic and not say anything, but with people's patience already stretched thin from Ame's previous crying, that might not take. And all it would take is one person to call in... then when a supervisor came over, what could she say and be believed? 'I don't have dogs' sounded as flimsy now as it did before, especially since they thought the landlady suspected-

Someone rapped on the door.

Hana jolted, worried- but when she glanced at Balto, during his attempt to distract the kids from the door, he caught her eye.

She set her mouth a little, breathed in + out, then went toward the door-

-the landlady again.

"We don't allow pets in this building, period. How times will I have to tell you two?"

"...We don't have any" she mumbled, glancing down, not sure what else to say.

"I wasn't born yesterday, girl; I've heard them, many a time. If you can't abide by the rules here, then you're both gonna have to find another place to live. It's that simple."

Hana slowly breathed out, but that reaction was simple compared to what she felt - she barely noticed when the landlady left, until after the fact. Slowly, numbly, she closed the door... but when she turned around, Balto was there, the sounds of their kids still in the background. Without thinking, she leaned against his chest, her love holding her close against him. She just stayed there, having her back rubbed, before he whispered in her ear: "Hana, go play with Yuki and Ame."

"B-But-"

"Just get it off your mind right now. Please?"

"Mmm..."

...

Not a minute after that, Balto stood in that same spot, watching Hana walk back into the living room - his heart felt heavy, not just from watching, but feeling things were starting to get out of their control. He'd heard every word the landlady had said, due to his hearing, but also knew it had to come eventually... time was starting to run out.

It was just-

Another knock on the door startled him, and he wondered 'was the landlady back?' before another knock sounded, insistent.

 _"Maybe not"_ he thought, but slowly steeling himself, going to the door-

-he'd only opened it a little before he saw two people, one man + woman, both in business suits.

He slowly reacted when he saw their nameplates. "Child Welfare Agency?" he breathed, heart starting to beat faster; not good.

"Yes sir, we're here about your son and daughter - Ame and Yuki, correct?"

Part of him wondered how they knew that; they hadn't made official records of any kind for their children, before he thought they must have (indirectly) gotten it from the neighbors and/or landlady. Taking care of two children meant they'd probably heard their names many times, but still his internal feelings threatened to rise to the surface-

"Here about them why-?" Balto started to ask-

-but the woman got pushy: "Sir, according to agency records, your kids have never been vaccinated or even once been to a doctor. Care to explain this?"

"Well, they're fine" he said quickly, trying to close the door. "Thanks for your concern-"

"We'd like to see them, for ourselves, in order to gauge their well-being."

"I'm sorry, but-"

The man now: "Please, be reasonable; it wouldn't take but a minute, and we'd be out of your hair after that-"

Now it was getting difficult to stay calm; Tyler had to shove the door back now. "You can't just come in!"

"If you refuse to cooperate, we'll have no choice but to assume neglect!"

At that point, he sorta snapped: drawing on his wolf strength (if for a split-second), he pulled back _hard_. "Just leave us alone!" he yelled at them, forcing the chain into the lock... then he slumped back-first against the doorway, slowly sliding down it.

When he glanced up after a long time, he found Hana crouched in front of him... the tears in her eyes told him she'd heard every word. Farther back in his vision, he saw Yuki hiding behind the corner of the wall, worried too for a different reason- behind her, Ame was still in wolf form, on all fours.

Balto just slumped even more, but wordlessly, Hana crawled in against him; they held each other, breathing heavy.

A long time passed, before:

"It's- o-our times up... isn't it."

Slowly, reluctant, he nodded his head, "Yeah" he whispered, faint. "Strike Three... I don't think we can wait any longer, Hana."

Her grip tightened, and he shared it, though he wasn't sure who was shaking... though, Strike Three coming immediately after Strike Two like that, well that'd just been insulting.

/

 _The next day_

Hana sat on the bench with Balto beside her, watching Yuki and Ame running in the fields, both kids enjoying themselves a lot. She still found that amazing; Ame had taken awhile to learn how to walk, but his wolf instincts had taught him how to run on all fours in a tenth of the time, without once falling over. Yet even as she watched, while Yuki ran on four paws, she often got up on two instead, encouraging her brother to try it. Despite the situation they were in, it brought a smile to her face, glad to see them so happy. Especially Ame, who had grown into his toddler state, and showing more energy than he'd ever had as a baby (lungs notwithstanding), especially in wolf form.

Then she remembered yesterday, where she'd helped Balto pack their stuff into boxes... not everything, as they still needed to use the appliances, but already the books and other non-being-used essentials had been packed. This being after Balto had called ahead, leaving a message with the community, saying he'd like to purchase a house in the country- just had to hear back from them so far.

Beside her, Balto's phone buzzed; Hana saw when he pulled it out, then quickly stand up to take it: "Hello?"

Hana wondered, not able to hear the other person's voice, but she made sure to watch their kids while he couldn't.

"Ah yes, I'm the same guy- I and my family wish to browse your houses in the countryside. Oh, I forget to give my name?"

She looked up, surprised - Balto glanced at her, but then he blinked, seeming to think fast.

He lingered a second longer than necessary...

"It's Balto" he said.

Hana gasped, staring at him - the rest of what he said was a blur, unaware of her reactions, but she was shaking a little. He'd just- he just- that meant that he'd become used to being called that, after all this time! He'd grown more comfortable with the name, and himself, to be able to use it freely, not just hearing it from their family! Hana covered her mouth in an instant, little happy tears starting to form- she felt proud of him, even seconds after registering this, and she never looked away from him either.

"Uh, our family is two adults, two young children. Our stuff will fill up a standard car's trunk, maybe a little of the backseat. ...You can pick us up? Great, great... okay, I understand, thank you. Bye."

 _Click_

Balto looked at her, before he registered the soft look she was giving him- he slowly blinked, before giving her a little smile as he sat down.

"Hey, it's-"

Whatever he tried to say, she didn't let him; too busy hugging him close, which after a small breath, he returned easily.

"How long?" she whispered softly.

"Two days" he whispered back gently, looking at her, understanding what the hug was about. "We're to bring everything to the outer edge of the city; it'll fit into the guy's car, with one of us in the front passenger seat, the other with Yuki and Ame in the back."

Her heart began to pound, but Hana wasn't scared... just nervously exciteded, with a touch of sadness; she loved that apartment, as it had been a big part of her life recently. But still, she wasn't about to cling to it, not when people were about ready to take her children away from them.

"Where exactly?" she asked, seeing Yuki + Ame still playing with each other, but this time involving some sort of jumping game (or Yuki did anyway; Ame wasn't sure).

He told her-

* * *

 _Two days later_

 _Early morning_

Balto slowly looked around the apartment, heart heavy - the place wasn't entirely bare, as the furniture remained, but many of their possessions were now boxed away. Said boxes had been transported to their appointed pick-up spot, hours before it was supposed to happen. Not to mention, they'd literally buried their cellphones, to prevent tracking by GHS + tailing through past phone conversations. For his part though, he felt lucky the process of getting a country home didn't involve official paperwork in the city... a hand squeezed his then.

He glanced at Hana, seeing Yuki and Ame still sleeping in the baby carrier (as it was early) - he squeezed back, understanding.

"We should go" she whispered, after a full two minutes passed.

"...yeah" he breathed, slowly nodding- however, his heart started beating faster, for a different reason. "But Hana?"

"Hmm?"

"There's something I have to do first, before we leave" he continued, slowly turning toward her, hand in his right pocket. "I wanted it to be our last memory in this apartment, to celebrate everything between us."

Really curious, Hana turned toward him as well, blinking. "What is it?"

"First, a little story" Balto whispered, rubbing his head. "You remember from before, how I'd sometimes be out - you thought I might be hunting, but I said I wasn't?"

"Mmh-hmm."

"Well... to put it bluntly... I found something" he slowly admitted. "Something _really_ contrived."

He didn't blame her for being confused; without context it sounded strange, plain and simple.

"I found a number of gemstones in the trash, if you can believe that - _I_ certainly didn't, at first."

Hana jolted, blinking several times. "W-W-What?" she breathed, nonplussed, "But- w-who would throw those out?"

"I asked that more times than I could count" he breathed, knowing the feeling. "But, after this unlikely situation registered, I did two things... one being to sell most of them, getting more money for our family, I mean."

"Okay..."

"And this."

Hana made a sound, looking down at his presenting hand, which was closed... until he opened it; then she gasped.

Two glittering rings lay side-by-side - one carved (literally) from a ruby, and another carved from a sapphire. Both displayed a multi-faceted appearance every sixteenth-of-an-inch, catching the light easily - the lines were a mix of natural, and more smooth/straight ones.

"I took these ones to certain workers, with access to power tools" Balto whispered, more soft and gentle - Hana slowly, a little shaky, brushed her fingers over them. "After that, I had to find + bribe an officiant."

Still half-focused on the rings, Hana seemingly didn't register that last part (probably for the best too; it'd been hard resorting to bribery). "Why go to all this trouble, Balto?" she whispered with wonder.

"Because Hana, t-they're wedding rings."

She squeaked, near-literally... barely seconds went by before tears started to fall...

"Wh-"

He made a sound; what was that!?

"W-Which- which is... is...?"

By that point, Balto was certain he was shaking. "The- t-the red one's yours..." he whispered, wobbling a little. "When- w-when in certain light, y-your eyes sometimes seem a soft red instead of brown... a-and it r-reminds me of the red scarf you wore, from that night-"

Her hand moved, plucking the sapphire one- before he could even say anything, Hana grabbed his left hand, bringing it up. Balto gasped when he realized what she was doing, and his hand shook a lot- despite that, and her own hand being the same, Hana managed to slide the sapphire ring onto his ring finger. By then, she stopped moving entirely, as if that took all her effort... he jolted, groping for her left hand, but he had to steady his own. Then, feeling like his heart might explode, he just managed to slide the ruby one onto her finger-

-the moment he did, her hand gripped his tightly.

He looked at her, breathing heavy...

Hana's eyes were streaked with tears, but she had one of the biggest smiles he'd ever seen!

If there were room, and Yuki + Ame weren't sleeping in the baby carrier, he'd probably have picked Hana up and twirled her again. As it was, Balto just grabbed her cheeks and kissed her, hard- something which she had _no_ issues returning! They 'struggled' around a good while, only stopping when they had trouble breathing, but she immediately held him close (minding the baby carrier by instinct). Not against it at all, he held Hana back as they panted, kissing her neck briefly - after that, he just held her tighter, enjoying her warmth.

"Oh Balto-!"

"Hana-!"

"-I love you!"

"-I knew you'd say yes!"

And just like that, in five minutes, except for one tiny detail that still needed to get done, they'd eloped... crazy, right!?

/

 _A few hours later_

 _Just outside the city_

It was like Hana spent the next stretch in a daze; her heart wouldn't stop pounding, but out of happiness, love, a few tears involved too. With Yuki + Ame still asleep (little late-starters today hehe), Hana couldn't stop staring at her ring and how it glittered, even just by turning her finger a little. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined receiving a ring carved out of gemstone - had one set in a band, sure, but not like this! This was the stuff of fantasy, and it almost didn't seem real even as she looked at it! But those thoughts also caused her to laugh, smiling widely; she'd passed fantasy a _loooong_ time ago, in all honesty.

And Balto had been so certain of her answer, that he didn't even need to ask - nervous, yes, but still!

Making another sound, watching her ring for a minute longer, Hana slowly put her hand down... then she glanced at the box arrangements. Thus far they were on the side of the road, enough to fill a car trunk, so Balto had said.

Still, this community member would pick them up around nine-

 _Rustle_

Hana looked back, seeing the bush move around... before a muzzle popped out, just slightly, sniffing around.

"Is it clear, Hana?"

She breathed out, glad to see him back, warmth building in her chest again. "Yeah, there's no one around, and no cars coming either" she said, seeing + hearing nothing.

Just like that, after a few seconds, Balto crawled out of the bush in human form- he stood up, brushing bits of nature off his clothes.

"So, you got it done?" she asked, completely gentle.

"Yeah" he whispered, before softening at the sight of the asleep Yuki + Ame. "Gave the signed form to the officiant - it's now legal, in all corners of the globe."

Hana tried to speak, but her mouth would only tremble (with a smile), and her eyes grew wet.

Balto gently rested a hand on her shoulder, standing close- she leaned against him without preamble, but he wasn't surprised. "To the civilized world, we're known as who we were before, currently living in that apartment" he breathed, digging into his pocket. "But since we're no longer going to live there, I had the officiant print out this instead."

Taking the piece of paper slowly, Hana saw it was a printed copy... wait, his name was printed as 'Balto' instead of 'Tyler', and where they lived was blank. Feeling slightly confused, she looked at him-

-he seemed to have expected that. "In case we need to show proof in the country, we'll want to keep this" he continued, rubbing her shoulder a bit. "But as far as the world at large will know, I'm still Tyler, and we've just up and vanished. No one has physically seen us recently, aside from two, and soon it'll become a dead-end; law enforcement will be forced to give up at some point."

His words gave her a strange feeling, never having experienced this before... 'living under the radar', Balto had called it. That strange feeling was almost a yearning, for what she wasn't sure, but maybe it was not knowing what was next for them.

"Two people?" Hana questioned. "The officiant?"

"Yeah... but I've payed him a lot, both to do this, and to never reveal it to anyone- even possible law enforcement."

"A-And the other one?"

"My partner in the mover business" he whispered, slowly glancing down, sadder. "We met up by chance, on my way here - I told him I'm sorry that I have to leave so suddenly, and thanked him for everything, but he wouldn't see me again."

Hana made a sound, wrapping her arms around his. "But he promised, Balto?" she whispered gently, trying to soothe him, "He'll never tell anyone either?"

"I insisted upon it, Hana; he understood, when I showed how serious I was."

There was silence for awhile... they had turned a corner now, and there was no going back; conventional society wouldn't allow them to live their lives in peace, not with the risk of exposing half-wolves to the world. Now they were to disappear, into a community with plenty of open space, but little of convenience - what would the people be like? She knew from Balto's description that they stuck together, that they tried to help each other out, but how much? To what degree exactly? What was the layout of the village, the homes around it, and the land itself?

All important questions that needed to be answered.

"Will there be places to work, out in the country?" Hana asked, after some time. "Weekly, I mean?"

Balto slowly sighed, in a way Hana took to mean he was nervous, at what they were about to do (just like her). "At least a few, I think" he said, sincere. "The community we're going to, I know I definitely saw a message board there - it listed openings for jobs, and each one was legit. There's also lots of odd little requests, asking for this and that to be done, given food or items in return for the services; anyone's available to post, or answer. Or that's what I remember, anyway... it was years ago."

"And the distance between homes? Other places?"

He was silent for a count of ten, eyebrows furrowed as he thought. "I... I-It's all fuzzy" he whispered reluctantly, closing his eyes in defeat. "I don't remember exact details about that..."

Hana made a sound, before Balto took her hand; she looked up.

"But I promise, you won't be alone in this, Hana" he whispered gently, giving his little smile. "Largely, it'll be new experiences for me too, after so long; we'll do it together."

Smiling back, she grasped his hand back, kissing him warmly (he returned it) - after she was done, she lovingly stroked his ring a little.

"Together" she promised softly, hugging her lov- no, _husband_ now.

* * *

 **Hitting the last straws, going on toward the big move - and the adventures that come with it.** **Still pushing the law evasion angle too (as in the movie), but at this point, I think few will care that much**

 **And much like our Wolfman still being alive, that little change at the end sorta demanded to happen, but there was no time or mood for the usual way of doing it XD**


	8. New Home

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

"Town Hall decided they'd like to fill some of the empty houses out here" their driver explained, mainly to Hana, but occasionally glancing in his rear-view mirror at him. "Sure the city folk snap them up, but every one of them throws in the towel. None of them can handle living so far out - it's a half-hour drive to the nearest elementary school, and the middle school is two-and-a-half hours by bus and train. And that's just one way!"

Sitting in the right-side backseat, Balto observed his newly-wed wife, just a little more than he was listening. She heard every word, but her wondering gaze was out on the countryside, which clearly she'd never visited in her life. It only made him feel more determined though; he would help her learn the little things he knew, and help her through everything else best he could. During all this, the smaller bags stuffed on the left side, their children were sleeping beside him hehe - both sitting up, restrained by the seat-belt and snoozing peacefully.

"Don't get me wrong; it's a wonderful environment for raising children, but-"

Then they hit a little bumpy patch, jolting everyone present... well except Ame + Yuki, who slept on despite that.

The sight brought a smile, thinking how cute they were with their mouths open a little.

"B-But, wherever you two are coming from is way more convenient" their driver finished, after a moment.

"We know that, sir" Balto breathed; a nice simple statement.

He was unsure how to answer that, but he merely looked at Hana (to see if she agreed), who continued to look at the countryside... both with wonder, nervousness, and a 'strange' yearning. However, she glanced down at the photograph she held; his old one, taken years ago here during the winter - it made her smile a little, glancing back at him (he returned the smile), and a look at Yuki and Ame.

That definitely softened her gaze, and he was glad to see it - he looked at his children too, before gently brushing stray hairs out of their faces.

/

Walking up the path with Balto by her side, Hana slowly cataloged the homes they've visited so far; there was no doubt, they were nice homes on their own. But half didn't have the space for two adults + kids (indoor anyway), let alone their kids - a number were too close to other homes/the village, plus other factors made her unsure... Balto was harder to read, as he still seemed to be thinking them over himself, but she never got any good signs from him while they were browsing, which she felt was answer enough.

When they approached the newest one however, she slowed-

-"So big" she breathed in wonder; it looked at least fifty feet long, maybe even seventy-five!

Beside her, Balto slowly let out a breath too, but Hana didn't know what he thought (mostly because she was still wondering).

Their kind driver was still within earshot, his actions gradually bringing them inside as he talked: "They're renting it out - you'll be responsible for repair costs, and it needs a _lot_ of work" he called to them, working on opening the five-connected sliding doors. "You can leave your shoes on, as this place has been abandoned for years. And let's not kid ourselves; it's ugly as hell. But believe it or not, the wiring's still good, and it gets water from the streams- I'll even throw in all the stuff in the tool shed."

Every word was like pieces to a puzzle as they went along... Hana knew it wouldn't be easy, but already she could see that with a lot of work, this place was looking better and better by the moment. Some dusting, a little remodeling with the boards covering the floor and ceiling (roof included), heavy-duty scrubbing everywhere- it was all perfectly doable. Beside her, Balto vaguely found a dusty on/off switch and flipped it- the place's lights went on without a hitch, and then he flipped it back; off just as easily. The wiring was actually good as stated, they had running water for the sink and bathroom, plus this place was so big it was nearly crazy. A few things were missing though-

-Balto beat her to the punch on one such aspect: "Does the land include that field?" he asked, looking out beyond the house. Just behind him now, Hana thought he must be referring to the 'acres' mentioned, which varied from house-to-house.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't go buying a scarecrow just yet" their driver answered, clearly reluctant to tell them. "Unfortunately, it's not viable as farmland... mainly because animals come down from the mountains all the time, here especially because it's so close; they eat _everything_."

Balto glanced back, and she made a sound; that look in his eye...

 _"I can take care of the animals",_ it seemed to say.

After the jolt, Hana felt warm; protecting them would be so much like Balto. And not only that, she didn't have a problem with seeing his wolf self in action - in fact, for some time now, she'd gradually imagined what it must look like in broad daylight.

"They've sorta pushed folks out, when usually it's the other way around."

That made her remember one of the other missing pieces: "And, are there any neighbors around?" Hana asked.

"Well, if you use the term loosely" he admitted, stepping down several times. "There's no one around for miles... still, maybe onto the next place?"

At that, Hana looked at Balto - he turned toward her at the same time, giving a little smile as he slipped his hand into hers, nodding a little; they'd both had the same thought.

"There's a cute little house out in the village that I think-"

"We'll take it" they stated, at the exact same time; it made her feel fuzzily warm.

Their driver was extremely shocked-

"This is the one we want, sir" Balto repeated, while she gave a big smile.

-"Ah... i-it is?"

"Yeah" she breathed, cheerful. "This will do great, thank you."

...

"I mean, you're both sure about this?"

"Yes please."

On the sidelines, Balto smiled as he overheard, before he gently sat Yuki and Ame down on the stonework: they were due to wake up any minute now. He cast a glance down the layout, seeing what was where, and also at the state of dust and disrepair- mmh. Still, overall the house's frame was good; the wiring/water worked well, as he'd seen to check; they had wide-open spaces all around the house, with a tool shed on one side and whatever that sunken section thing was; they were near a forest, with a lovely view of the mountain as well. He had to stop himself from taking a deep breath, as he knew that'd only be the stale, dusty air still in here, for now anyway.

So yeah, they had a _lot_ of work to do, but he had a good idea where to start... he already saw himself breathing in that fresh, clean air outside, once he had the chance of course...

"Mmh..."

Turning, Balto saw his children starting to stir - Yuki was the first one to sit up, very bleary, while Ame rubbed his eyes first. Humming, he stood next to the sliding doors, hands in his pockets- vaguely, there was the sound of a car leaving, so he guessed their driver was leaving and/or going to get official paperwork.

Probably anyway-

Yuki gasped, the first to truly see - she quickly looked around, eyes wide with excitement while Ame slowly began to see as well. "Woah!" she breathed, completely curious even as she saw him. "Where are we, daddy!?"

"This is our new home" he said gently.

Just like that, Yuki quickly stood up and hopped down the stonework, going straight into the grass a little. He took that moment to quickly glance at Ame, who seemed unsure, but he saw Hana step in beside them - she was smiling, apparently having heard Yuki's questions, but nodded gently.

Glad that Ame was being watched, Balto turned just in time to see Yuki gasp + race off toward the tool shed. "Wow!" she cheered along the way, panting without effort and giggling a little as she climbed up the small rise just below it. "Look it! I'm a crooked little house!" she called, completely cheerful as she did several motions, before running back 'the long way' (just around this patch of growth actually), giggling the entire time. "Hey, we got ants for neighbors!" she cheered again in curious excitement, doing an impromptu cartwheel in place to see them closer, before she ran off again.

The entire time, it filled his heart with warmth, and he chuckled as his daughter moved like a speed demon.

"Woah! What is _that_ thing!?" Yuki cheered, running toward the sunken section, quickly climbing up it. "Hey Ame, watch this!" she called, before drop-sliding down the grassy section with a laugh-yell (and it wasn't long before she was running back again, giggling and laughing).

Balto chuckled again, before he noticed Ame in front of him, shy yet curious enough to poke around the corner - also, Hana slipped her hand into his then, which he squeezed back. They had a little worry when Ame jumped + yelled away from the corner, but they quickly saw he'd been startled by a lizard climbing the wood- and either way, he went to join his sister, who slowed beside him.

"So, what do you think?" Hana asked beside him, bending down to eye-level (he did the same, via sitting on the stonework).

"This place is great!" Yuki cheered, hand near her chest with a big grin.

"Can- can we go home yet?" Ame breathed, worried and a little sad, holding onto his sister's dress with one hand.

Ohh, his little boy was homesick... he understood that well.

Gently, Balto got down on the grass, holding out his arms. "Come here" he breathed- Ame quickly came over, and he hugged his son close. "It's okay, Ame, it's okay."

"I-I miss home-"

"I know, I know; I do too."

"Then why we can't go home?"

"Because-" he breathed, pausing a moment on how to say this. "Because we can't go back."

"What...?" Ame breathed, eyes a little teary, looking up at him; then Balto found Yuki had come up, holding his pant leg.

"Why is that, daddy?" she asked, tugging it slightly. "Why?"

Balto had to suppress a grunt; how could he tell them?

Hana saved him: "We moved because we needed to" she breathed, gently touching their childrens' heads, sitting beside him on the grass; he saw that her smile was genuine, hiding a little sadness though.

 _"Oh Hana"_ he thought-

"Your father and I didn't want to move either, but we had no choice" she continued, as gently as she could. "Okay?"

Yuki slowly nodded with a smile; she was still curious about this place, and didn't seem to mind having moved that much... Ame though, still looked a little torn up, as he clung to his shirt: "O-Okay" he mumbled.

Balto slowly glanced at Hana, who was similarly worried... they knew from his tone that Ame hadn't accepted this yet.

He hoped it would ease with time; for now, that's all they could do, but he gently rubbed his son's back.

"Mommy?"

"Yes baby?"

"What is that thing?"

A glance told him that Yuki was referring to the sunken section, but Balto still held Ame, who needed him right now.

"Hmm... I'm not even sure, but then again, I haven't looked at it up close yet."

"Can I help you do that?"

"*little giggle* Of course you can."

That made him smile for a moment- they all needed some time, but they'd get through this together. "It'll be okay, Ame" he whispered, low enough that only his son could hear, "It'll be okay; we'll stay together."

* * *

First order of business though? The tool shed, basically-

-Balto slowly breathed out, looking around, Hana beside him with similar reactions - right now, Yuki could be heard playing, while Ame still sat on the stonework, watching.

This place was basically the same as the house - abandoned for a long time, with dust and debris everywhere, bits of the windows/walls broken off too. Things were everywhere too: he thought that at first, the previous owners had organized it in some ways... but then afterward, just fit things wherever they could go. Wide-ranging things too, as the biggest things he saw were a bike with a hand-basket, a large bucket + speaker hanging from a beam (or what seemed to be for the latter; strange), a sewing machine, and numerous other things. Even as they moved further inside, Hana slowly looked into a box... from which she then produced a double-edged hammer, along with other tools.

He hummed, looking over a different section, before he saw a handle of something... he pulled it out gradually, and found it was a broom.

"Oh, that'll work" he said, glancing back at the house.

"Hmm? What'll work?"

"Well, first thing we've gotta do is get rid of the dust" he breathed, holding up the broom for Hana to see - curious, she took it from him, testing the fibers and such. "In the house anyway; this place needs some heavy-lifting first" he added.

That got a little smile out of her, now judging the broom's handle, range, and weight. "You wouldn't mind?" she asked gently. "I could still help you in here."

"Nah, I'll be fine" Balto whispered easily, before he stepped closer- she leaned into the brief kiss. "Before you dust the house though, lift all the sliding doors; prop them up outside."

Hana jolted a little. "Is that okay?" she asked, slightly worried.

"They're probably barely working as is; we gotta dust them off, clean them, or it'll only get worse" he explained, still gentle. "And we can easily slide them back in, don't worry."

Hana nodded, before kissing him again, 'briefly'. "Okay" she whispered softly, caressing his cheek before walking off, he watching a bit before turning his attention back to the tool shed.

 _"Well, first thing I'm gonna have to do, is sort all this stuff into 'keep' + 'don't keep' piles"_ he thought slowly, gradually turning a full-360. _"Though with a 'maybe' pile added as well... after that, Hana should have finished dusting as well."_

Hmm-

"Daddy!"

Surprised, Balto looked back: Yuki, who'd had a running start, skidded to a stop inside - behind her, Ame was slower, peeking around the corner first off. "Mommy said to help you" she said brightly, before getting distracted: "WOAH! What is all this stuff!? Oh, look at this! And that! And-!"

"Woah there, big girl" he said, a little playful as he picked her up. "I don't know what all this stuff is either, _yet_ anyway" he continued, tickling her a bit; she laughed and squirmed. "I'm gonna find out, but first, I'm gonna need to put everything outside into piles. Wanna help me?"

"You bet, daddy!" she cheered, making him chuckle as he put her down.

"And you, Ame? I could use an extra set of hands."

Ame blinked, surprised, but looked a little happier. "U-Uh- of course, daddy."

"Just tell us what we have to do!" Yuki cheered, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Do we help you carry stuff?"

Balto hummed, tilting his head. "Only stuff you _can_ carry; don't try anything too heavy" he said easily, before pointing outside. "Everything will be put into three piles, okay? 'Keep' (left side), 'Don't Keep' (right side), and 'Maybe' (in front) - you put anything you carry where I tell you to, got it?"

"Yeah, we got it" Ame breathed, nodding; Yuki just giggled, excited already.

"Also, don't let the piles touch each other" he said, slightly playful again. "Think of that as a game."

"Alright, yay!" the little girl cheered again, jumping up and down before him while Ame just seemed surprised by his sister's enthusiasm; Balto chuckled.

...

Hana coughed heavily, despite the towel wrapped tight around her nose + mouth; wow this layer was thick. Her arms were slightly sore as well, as she wasn't used to lifting doors, but she managed.

Balto's advice on removing the doors definitely helped though, for reasons different than he'd mentioned - it allowed a gentle breeze to flow in from the front. After checking the back, which was a roughly five-feet-wide stretch of grass that separated them from the nearby forest growth, she decided that it wouldn't really hurt anyway; that grass was constantly shaded after all. After determining this, she quickly swept the dust toward the back entrances, causing little clouds every time her broom moved. Also, part of her kept coming back to the left side of the house, whose's entrance (currently) didn't have doors of any kind; it was exposed to the elements in front + back, with only a mid-way sliding door to protect the inner parts.

Sort of like an open welcome mat, or something - they were gonna have to see what to do regarding that.

 _"Completely new, all of this"_ Hana thought, during a little break.

She lingered a bit, before a metallic clang brought her out of it-

"Woah! That was loud!"

"Yuki, you okay?"

"Fine, fine, Ame, but that was close!"

"You're telling me..."

Balto's words just then - a little exasperated, but relieved - told her that something had dropped, but it hadn't been too serious. When she figured that out, helped by their continued conversation in sorting things out, she leaned against the wall with a little smile. She lingered another moment before getting back to work; thus far she'd gotten this big room (probably gonna call it the living room; it was connected to the welcome mat + the kitchen), but she had to keep going. Within seconds, dust clouds had started up again as they were disturbed, she still going while-

"Ah!"

Panting a little, she fought not to panic; the floorboard just gave and her leg fell in, that's all, that's all.

Letting the broom fall, she grabbed her leg and pulled, getting back to her feet without too much effort.

"Hana!"

She jolted; Balto had rushed up the stonework, coming toward her, only to slow when he saw she was fine. Yet still: "You okay?" he breathed, "I heard you cry out."

"I'm fine" she told him, smiling a bit at his worry. "Just had a little mishap."

Balto came toward her, keeping his eye on the broken floorboard (and carefully testing where he stepped now). "Yes, I can see that" he answered, looking around them, then he started to test the other floorboards. "Hmm... for the most part, the floor is stable" he continued, moving from section to section - while he did this, Yuki came in and started imitating him in the background, Ame just watching where he stood. "Just certain boards are weak... and I don't know about the ceiling tiles, but one thing at a time."

Hana saw where he was going with this. "So, a temporary patchwork here won't do the job" she breathed, half to herself, Balto turning toward her. "I mean, they're not all falling apart at the seams, but in ten years, they could be."

"I don't know about ten; they've aged, yes, but most are still sturdy" he said, moving closer to her. "What they really need is another layer; that should keep it steady for quite a few decades."

"That's a lot of wood" she answered, but holding his hand. "Do we have any now?"

"A few flat boards that are quite good; they can serve as the temporary replacement wood" he answered, squeezing back. "But no, we'll need a lot more... and what nails I've found thus far are all hopelessly bent and rusted."

To the stores then- got it.

"Then that means" she said softly, intentionally leaning closer to his body. "After I've finished up dusting, I gotta get that bike in good working order."

He chuckled, but playfully bumped her shoulder in return- they lingered a moment, before returning to their respective tasks.

/

 _Hours later_

Balto glanced at the road again; where was she?

He knew that even by bike, riding to and from the village + asking around for what she sought would take some time, but still. Then he thought that, if Hana had gotten what she needed, how was she supposed to return it home over that same distance? Carrying enough wood to refit their home's floor wouldn't be light, and he didn't imagine it'd all fit in that bicycle's hand-basket. He made a sound, thinking he should have gone with her somehow, but he just had to have hope; he knew Hana's determination, and if it meant walking miles to get home, she'd do it.

She was a remarkable woman, after all.

"Is mommy gonna be here soon?" Ame asked, eating after that.

"I hope so" Yuki added, poking at her food playfully. "It's our first dinner in a new home, and we're a family."

He was about to answer, before he paused, trying to tune his hearing- was that-?

The moment Balto heard her clearly, he was already moving, only pausing enough to tell Yuki + Ame to stay by the table.

"Hana!" he called out once he was close enough at the bottom of the hill; she was drenched with sweat, and panting. "Are you okay?" he quickly asked, taking one of the loads from her right arm, before grunting; damn that was heavy. Vaguely, he saw the hand basket had another load + several packets of nails in them, but still he looked at Hana- her arms must be burning if she'd carried/pushed them all this way, breaks or not, alternating which arm she'd been carrying a load in or not.

"Thank you" Hana breathed faintly, but still determined; she kept moving forward.

"Hana, Hana" Balto assured, touching her cheek with a free hand. "You just lean onto the bike, rest a little while we walk; I'll take both the rest of the way. It's the least I can do."

She didn't answer; just panted, even as he took both loads from her.

Wearily for both of them, they got back home, literally going uphill - in her tiredness, Hana just let the bicycle tip over in their front yard (nail packets spilling out, unopened), and he put down the loads next to it, relieved. Then he quickly caught up to Hana, leaning her against his body; Hana didn't resist, but she did glance at him, managing a tiny smile in-between her pants.

That instantly made it all worth it - even the sound of her stomach growling didn't ruin the mood (they noticed, but still).

"Come on, Hana" he whispered gently, guiding her forward, "We were in the middle of dinner."

"What are we having?" she asked, faint, but completely soft.

"See for yourself" Balto answered, gesturing- Hana let out a little breath when she saw.

Yuki waved cheerily when she saw them, grinning, while Ame looked happier as well, seated opposite each other. Between them was this little table, pulled from the tool shed + dusted off, covered by one of their unpacked table cloths, with three bowls of soup laid out.

"I have a bowl in the microwave, though it might need to be reheated" he said, looking over at the kitchen area - said microwave was currently plugged in, but the cords or two other devices sat near it as well. "And sorry, I wasn't sure where to put the other cords just yet; I thought you might have some ideas."

Hana made a sound, looking at him. "I'll look at them later, or maybe tomorrow" she assured, before moving to the table, arm movements extremely restricted. "And maybe I don't have a bowl yet, but it looks delicious, Balto."

"It is, mommy" Yuki answered, pointing with her spoon, spending a few splecks flying without noticing. "Daddy cooked it all on his own" she continued, Ame nodding, mouth currently full.

"Well I try anyway" he said softly, moving to the microwave, keying in reheat numbers.

"Mind if I have a taste, Ame?"

"S-Sure, mommy."

Balto glanced back, seeing his wife doing just that with her own spoon. "Mhh, just the right balance" she said softly, humming a little, "Almost makes me want to take another bite."

Ame quickly moved his soup bowl, shyly nervous, while Yuki just laughed at her mom's playful tone.

"I know what you mean, mommy" their daughter continued, cheery as usual. "It tastes great!"

"Yeah, it does."

Still waiting on the reheated bowl, Balto just observed his family, feeling content - though, they could go easier on the praise hehe.

"The place looks a little cleaner too; is that your doing, Balto?"

"Hmm. Well, I did a little work, after I finished dusting + sorting out what to keep in the tool shed" he said, before gesturing outside, where the sliding doors were still 'off' in the front yard, heads turning. "The rest is still outside it; you can see that even now."

"Oh, yes I do see" Hana breathed, giggling. "What will you do?"

"Well, when I go into the village, as would be my turn, I'll post a few of the more stable items on the board."

"We helped daddy sort all that stuff" Yuki spoke up, pretty proud. "It was like a game!"

"Well, hopefully you'll get to play similar games with me tomorrow instead" Hana started to say-

"I plan on it! It's only fair!" Yuki answered, grinning big.

Balto looked at his son - "What about you, Ame?" he asked, gentle, "What would you like to do tomorrow?"

"I- I'd like to watch you two" his little boy said, "A-And help, if I can."

Internally, he felt Ame was definitely a shy one; he was sure his son didn't get that from him, but maybe his mother?

"Well, I see nothing wrong with that-"

He had to stop, as the microwave 'dinged' right then, but made a small chuckle as he worked to get things ready; Hana was still (a little) starving after all.

And so went their first dinner in the new house.

* * *

 **So their new life begins :) Including parts of their home improvement montage.** **But this time, it should go better, as now they can share the work between them - even with our Wolfman around, it's not like Hana was gonna sit around; she still has her inner strength after all.**

 **And of course, Happy Thanksgiving everyone.**


	9. Settling In

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

After dinner, Hana got the temporary floor work done despite her aching arms, getting Yuki and Ame to (re)test the boards as part of a game. Then after that, washing off her sweat and getting their bed-spreads placed in nearby rooms, she nearly crashed on the spot - she might've even fallen asleep right then, were it not for her husband's little shoulder + back rub. That made her feel shy for some reason, but it did help soothe her... as did his cuddling, neck kisses included. Though they didn't talk about it, they enjoyed each other's company that night, knowing it was their first one as a married couple- not the traditional honeymoon, but they were satisfied all the same just being with each other, as well as their kids.

Work then proceeded - they had to put the floor modeling on hold initially, because Balto's wolf instincts said it was gonna rain soon... though he mentioned he was extremely rusty, so no exact predictions or anything. With the roof and ceiling tiles in questionable shape, she trusted him on that, having him go get new tiles... though, it pained her to see him walk in exhausted, much like she'd been with the wood/nail supplies. But soon, they were both up there on the roof, hammering/working to put new tiles over the old ones. His instincts turned out to be right, and off at the same time; the rain came in much sooner than either of them anticipated.

Hana made a sound, moving the big bucket so that it covered three leak spots simultaneously. Across the living room, Balto made adjustments as well, while Yuki giggled a little as each drop came down into her empty bottle, Ame just watching his own spot drip (it seemed).

Fortunately the rain had given them enough time to cover parts of the roof, and that it didn't drip onto any kitchen machinery.

Getting up then, she went over to Balto, having waved 'hi' to Yuki and Ame. "Well, we're doing something right" she whispered, sitting down beside him. "The right side roof isn't leaking at all."

"Mmh" he breathed, gently taking her hand; she felt warmer. "Once the rain stops, we'll finish the job - definitely want to before winter gets here."

"Yeah" she agreed softly, moving her fingers in his. "But, what about the animals?"

"Those that were living nearby have fled, pure and simple, because of our presence" he whispered, looking straight at her. "Others still come down from the mountains though. I've also learned through scent that, well, a fair number of canids are involved in that too."

"Canids?" Hana breathed, thinking - she was sure she knew, but what was that again?

"Foxes, jackals, coyotes" Balto explained. "You know, parts of the wolf family species."

"Oh, really?" she asked, he nodding, before she had a thought. "Will they leave us alone?" she continued, slightly worried. "I mean, they must know wolves are very territorial, and you're part wolf... so are Yuki and Ame."

He slowly looked away, just a bit. "They won't stop just because we're physically here; this territory has to be marked as ours" he answered, more faint- she slowly got that he was embarrassed. "That means howling, for one thing, and also..."

At that, she just felt strange: "S-Scent marking?"

He slowly buried his face in his hand. "Yeah" he mumbled, and refused to say any more on the subject; not that she blamed him.

/

The rain storms came off-and-on, repeatedly, all throughout the next two weeks - but each time they did, fewer and fewer leaks got by. During that time, it had been a small joy to watch Yuki and Ame make a game out of the drops (whether they could pull their hands in before it splashed them- Yuki was faster at it than Ame). It continued for long enough that Hana felt it wouldn't hurt anything if they got the new boards installed now, having thankfully pulled them inside. So across the days, she continued to hammer up the roof, while Balto started hammering in the new floor layer, alternating jobs per day. That floor layering had created a little extra work though; working to reduce any water damage, via scrubbing and such.

Still, among other miscellaneous supplies, Balto had gotten surface finisher... when she was confused, he admitted he hadn't known either, until it was explained to him; it was a protective coat of chemicals for wood floors, in essence.

Remembering that even now, Hana had a little smile, still working to scrub the floor - right now, Balto was off getting meat for them, and she wanted to make sure the job was done when he returned.

"Mommy! Ame!"

"Hmm?" she breathed, looking up just as Ame did beside her - Yuki was racing toward them, hands cupped.

"Look at all this neat stuff I found!" she cheered, before emptying the contents in front of them. "Ta-da!"-

A bunch of leaves, flowers, bugs, worms, and a few big things like a centipede and a frog!

-she jolted, heart beating faster at the suddenness, Ame running off scared behind her. Hana could only stare at Yuki, who was giggling and bouncing on the heels of her feet, biggest grin imaginable, pretty proud of herself. Luckily for her, Balto then bounded up the side entrance, currently in wolf form with a rabbit hanging from his mouth, probably about to say he was back... before he noticed the situation.

"What happened?" he asked, slightly confused and not noticing Yuki curiously imitating him, opening + closing her mouth to stimulate prey hanging from there (now in wolf form too). "Wait, Yuki, did you do this?"

"I sure did!" the wolf-child cheered, moving around a bit. "Ame got scared though."

While they were talking, she quickly 'shooed' the bugs and other things away from the house - she was fine with them being in the grass, but not inside, thank you. When she zoned back in, her husband was telling Yuki the little creatures would be happier in the wild, not in the house (though she could still play with them, and be nice about it), allowing her to turn toward her son.

"Ame?" Hana called gently, seeing him just around the corner. "It's okay; they're gone."

"Y-You sure, mommy?"

"Positive" she assured.

"Hana-"

She turned, looking at Balto, now in human form with the rabbit in his hand - he had a small smile. "Mind if I play with the kids in the fields nearby?" he whispered to her, really close. "I could develop their other side a little, while explaining things, like what not to bring to the house."

The first part brought back images of their wolf forms, running around in the city park, and she nodded, feeling happier. "Just don't stay out too long" she whispered back, slowly taking the rabbit from him; it felt odd to hold one, but she knew it would be okay (just another way of cooking). "I expect you three to be here for dinner."

He smiled a bit, nodding before kissing her cheek. "Got ya."

...

"Hehehe!"

Yuki basically jumped after something in the tall grass, rustling all over the place before she lost it (he could tell by the 'Ahhh!') - Ame stayed close to his leg, watching his sister a little, but mainly looking around.

"Come on, don't be shy, Ame" Balto gently urged, "Everything here is harmless to you, and if anything tries to hurt you, I'll protect you."

"You swear, daddy?"

"I swear."

After that, Ame gradually started to dig through the grass, very tentative - Balto hummed, just watching them both. He couldn't help but notice something though; when Ame was around him, he seemed more confident than normal, if still a shy one.

"Oh?" Ame breathed, crawling close to a flower, upon which a little bee moved. "Daddy, is this dangerous?"

"That's a bee, Ame" he said gently, gradually sitting down near him. "He's just collecting pollen from the flowers, as is their job. They're only dangerous if they feel threatened."

"And what would they do, if they felt that?"

"Sting, nothing more" Balto breathed, rubbing his son's back. "But if you don't try to smack them out of the air, make sudden moves, or threaten their hive, then you're perfectly fine."

Ame blanched slightly at the imagery, though he didn't move. "I don't want to meet a lot of these things" he mumbled, yet still curious enough to stay, which made Balto smile.

"Hey birdy! I wanna be your friend! Ah!"

Looking over, he saw Yuki halfway up a tree, sad that a bird just flew away. "Yuki, you'd best come down" he called, slightly worried about her climbing. "Your brother found a bee-"

"Ah, he did!?" the little girl wondered, before jumping down without preamble, running toward them. "That's so cool!"

"Slowly, slowly, Yuki" he chided, mild now, "Or you'll scare the bee."

Luckily, Yuki registered his advice early enough to actually follow it; she snuck a bit, bending down beside her brother, hands on her knees as she observed the bee. However, after tilting his head, Balto could see Yuki's mouth trembling (from effort not to make sudden moves/yells); she was so curious. That made him smile again, even as the bee suddenly flew off on it's own, causing Yuki to cry out "Wait! Come back!" Beside Yuki, Ame breathed out a little, relieved - his curiosity had been sincere, but mostly he'd been worried about it stinging.

Well Ame, there's-

-he stopped a bit; he smelled something nearby.

Balto barely had to turn when he saw a cat slip out of the brush, head turned one way as it came toward them - when it actually saw them, it froze on the spot. While he might not be an expert on cats, he was pretty sure that behavior was wary; unfamiliar scents, people, things that might be a threat, etc.

"Woah! A kitty!"

"Yeah it is, Yuki" Balto answered, feeling Ame behind his legs again... hmm, mostly cat scent, but there were some human trace elements...

Okay, so an outdoor car owned by one of the neighbors, helped by the collar around it's neck.

"Hehe" Yuki giggled, crawling toward the cat, which had settled on a rock - well, least she was taking his 'approach slow' advice, while Ame poked around his legs. The cat tensed and started preparing to hiss, as no doubt she smelled of dogs (wolves actually, but close), their natural enemies-

-Yuki barely noticed: "Here kitty, kitty, kitty" she encouraged, before the cat swiped at her hand - luckily it missed, and Yuki just feel backward with a little 'Ah!'. Hearing the rustling and now out of it's sight, the cat seemed to forget it's hissing demeanor and stepped closer, nose + whiskers moving as it sniffed.

Until-

"Surprise!" Wolf-Yuki popped up, right in the cat's face, making it jump five feet in the air and promptly run; Yuki gave chase, giggling and laughing at her new playmate.

"Yuki, don't grab him" Balto called: "You can chase the cat, but don't grab him, okay?"

"Okay! Hehehehaha!"

Even as he thought, Ame came out from behind his legs, stepping ahead to watch Yuki, but content to stay there. He knew he should give them the basics on hunting, chasing, and such- he just couldn't have them doing so with everything in sight.

 _"Hmm"_ he thought slowly, keeping an eye on Yuki as well. _"Before I can teach them out to hunt out here, after the heavy work is done of course, I gotta establish the boundaries - a certain distance and/or areas around the house, certain animals and such, don't. Elsewhere, like the forest, they're free to do so... yeah, I think that works."_

However, he soon noticed Yuki had left her shoes in the grass, while chasing the cat- shaking his head a bit, he chuckled as he went to pick them up.

/

 _That night_

"We won't be long" Balto assured, Hana nodding from the house's edge (and curious) - beside him, Yuki and Ame were equally curious, in wolf form as he was. "Now kids, even as a half-wolf, it's my job to say 'this is our territory' to the other animals out there."

"Woah, cool!" Yuki breathed in wonder, Ame seeming interested too. "How do you do that, daddy?"

"Like this" he assured, settling on his haunches - looking at the moon, he silently tested his vocal cords several times first; he hadn't done this in a _long_ time.

Then...

He howled into the wind-

 _ARH-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

-the sound ran through his half-wolf blood, stimulating him just as hunting always did, and it echoed long after he stopped. Only after the last 'haunting' echoes faded did he remember he had an audience, so rather humbly, he turned toward his family... who were all entranced in different ways. Hana soon had tears in her eyes, but with a big smile as she wiped them away- she had thought that was absolutely beautiful (plain as day on her face). Yuki had her mouth open, before she practically lit up: "WOWWWW!" she cheered, jumping up and down in place before half-tackling him out of excitement. "I've never heard you howl before daddy! You should do it more often! It was awesome!"

"Well, I can try" Balto breathed, ruffling his daughter's fur, to her big grin/laughter. "I'm still rusty though" he added, glancing at his son.

Ame hadn't reacted much outwardly, and he slowly looked at the moon... but it certainly seemed he was replaying the sounds in his head, over and over.

Well, outwardly cheerful, inwardly fascinated, or even just thinking- didn't matter; he felt more content that ever before.

Yuki then soon crawled over to Ame, bumping him (almost literally) out of his inward thinking. "Why aren't you more excited, Ame? Didn't you think it was cool?" she asked, still excited.

"O-of course I did; I'm just thinking."

"But not even saying anything about it?"

"I-I dunno what to say exactly..."

Even as Yuki answered that, he slowly walked to the stonework, where Hana sat, just having a little smile- without a word, Hana wrapped her arms around him, getting a hum. "Oh Balto" she whispered against him, but giggling a little, threading her fingers through parts of his fur, "Yuki's right; you should do that more often."

"I'll think about it" he teased slightly.

Whether he does or not though, this is his family- a sweet, sweet little family.

* * *

Work continued, two more weeks going by in the process, making it a round month - they'd finished reinforcing the floor + broken it in, similar with the roofing tiles, which finally stopped leaking. In addition, the tool shed was organized without being dusty, though they were still working on getting rid of the 'Don't Keep' stuff Balto had sorted. So, with the heavy work done now, they moved on to cleaning duty- or well, _serious_ cleaning duty, as the initial clean-up had just been to get everything working properly. As it was though, Hana wanted to get them close to 'new' levels of clean, even just for a moment- but that needed more than water.

 _"Don't worry, Hana, I'll get you some sprays, and some hard brushes" Balto breathed gently._

 _"Mmh" she breathed back, enjoying his closeness. "I could go instead."_

 _"Nah, it's fine really."_

 _She tried to say more, before he kissed her-_

-back to now, Hana just felt warm, smiling as she paused in her current work (cleaning up these beams), hearing Yuki and Ame play in the background. As a side-effect of their dusting, they were still fairly worn, and they'd neglected to get around to it- till now anyway, and it'd given her a few splinters.

Humming, she worked to clean again- huh?

Leaning closer, Hana slowly drew her fingers around the corner- why were there little lines drawn onto the wound? Then she saw words and ages at several of them, around the corner too, up and down the beam a fair bit. Then it occurred to her: sometimes families drew in lines against walls, or corners, measuring how tall their children were as they grew up, to always remember. The family who lived here previously, or maybe even the family(s) before that, had done the same here with their children... but they were gone now. It brought a smile to her face, and she quickly dug out a pen-

"Ame, Yuki" she called out, stalling them. "Can you come here a minute?"

"What for?"

"I've got something to show you."

Within a minute (much less for Yuki), they came over to her, curious - Hana smiled a little, before she gestured at the marks. "See these?"

"Mmh-hmm" - "Yeah."

"Well, that's from the previous family who lived here" she said gently. "They kept track of how tall their children were- would you two like to keep track of that?"

"Is it like a game?" Yuki wondered, walking around the beam, lifting herself up and down to see the marks properly.

"Yes it is-"

"Well all right!" she cheered, standing against the beam, right where the marks were; even Ame had a smile at her cheerfulness.

"Okay then, but go to the other side, Yuki" she gently nudged, and when her daughter was confused: "Those marks are the previous family's, while ours will be nice on the other side; won't get them mixed up that way."

"Oh, right!"

Hana giggled, gently adjusting her daughter's height after she changed location (straight back + legs, good tilt of the head), before she drew the imaginary line at head-level - within no time, she'd written Yuki's name + age on the beam. She nodded, Yuki moving away quickly to make room for Ame, who stepped up nearly as quick as Yuki did; games were still interesting.

"And done" she said softly; Yuki gave a big grin, but Ame had a small smile, just like his father's even.

...

Later, while the kids were still playing, they got to work with the new supplies Balto bought - first came the windows, and so they set to work at opposite ends, though he got a smile at the mention of her earlier story. With the new glass cleaner, Hana soon managed to see through the doors for the first time, and it gave her more determination to get the rest clean. However, just as she finished the first door, something caught her eye on one of the small panes. Leaning closer, putting her hand up behind the glass, she soon discovered these vague star shapes, not quite 'carved' into the glass, but seemingly stained in at creation.

 _"Curious"_ she thought, wondering; were these shapes on all the sliding doors? Or, if not stars, were there other shapes inside?

Quickly moving, Hana went to the next door, and glanced at the accumulated grime before she set to work (specifically on the same 'small pane', like the first door)... minutes went by, and then suddenly she saw them: more star shapes.

"Balto?" she called, having a little smile; it was pretty, and certainly more interesting than just regular glass.

"Yeah?"

"Does your door have star shapes?"

For a moment there wasn't an answer, then Balto appeared by her side, slightly confused - she pointed where he should look. "Woah... that's pretty cool" he whispered, interested, before he looked at her. "But, no, I haven't seen anything on my end yet - maybe they're only on some of the doors?"

"Even if they are, it's a nice little detail" Hana answered, briefly taking his hand; he squeezed back, lingering a good five seconds before he got himself to move.

As it would turn out, they _were_ only on some of the glass doors, randomly... and that applied to many other parts of the house too, when their work involved them across the days. The sink had these colored stones set among the regular dull-grey ones, which really made them sparkle under the running water; the cabinet had these pseudo-bird shapes, though there was still a bunch of theory about those, because the shapes were vague; the sliding doors between the welcome mat and the living room had leaf shapes; and so on. All this work came with it's fair share of nicks and bruises though-

"Mmh" Balto breathed beside her one time, slipping yet another band-aid onto his finger, before experimentally flexing. "This is so familiar, yet strange."

"Why's that?" she wondered, her fingers in the same 'state'.

"Well, I was a mover before" he answered, looking up with a smile, "That meant lifting heavy stuff, which tended to get your fingers crushed in accidents. Now the same thing's happening, just with little cuts and bruises."

Hana took his hand gently, stroking the back of his fingers, feeling their bandages pressed together - when he looked at her, she smiled, which he returned again. Then Balto gave her a little kiss, making her feel shyly warm, but she leaned against him after that.

"Now, who's turn was it to go into town?" he asked, still gentle.

"Yours" she whispered, just as gentle. "But take the kids; something tells me they'll enjoy a change of scenery, for a little while."

"You'll be okay by yourself?"

"Don't worry about me, Balto" she replied, slightly playful. "I'll be strong."

"As always, but that's my thing to say" he teased, drawing a finger along her cheek before he stood up. "A done deal though."

...

Balto quite enjoyed the wind through his hair, going full-speed down the road - it reminded him of running in full-wolf form, just slightly faster. Having a giggling Yuki hanging onto the front bars, with Ame held in the carrier, holding his shoulders + shirt tightly as they went, was just a bonus.

He made it to the village after awhile, taking a moment to catch his breath - Yuki got off quickly, curious about everything (though he made sure to say "stay close to me"). Ame was curious + shy as well, but declined to walk around on his own, so Balto carried his son on his shoulders the entire time. The people were friendly as could be expected, nodding heads, which he returned - still, he subconsciously tried not to draw attention/say any more than that, as he still wasn't sure what peoples' opinion of them was thus far, other than 'those new neighbors'. Not that he could blame them; they'd been busy with self-improvements and hadn't been seen much... no doubt these folk were wondering how long it'd take them to crack, to go back to the city, as most new arrivals did.

 _"Well, not us"_ he thought, stopping near the store. _"We can't go back."_

In short order, he got his list checked off, paying upfront. "Have a good day" Balto breathed with a slight bow, before he went outside to Yuki (who naturally stayed near the bike, but not quite 'watching' it).

During that stretch, one of the other neighbors had come up by car - he nodded back of course, though he was busy attaching things to the bike.

"Isn't he the one who just moved in?"

"Yes, with his wife; both of them very young."

Yup, and there it was; as expected-

-nonetheless, Balto worked to show that he hadn't heard them (though he would've anyway), instead starting to race back.

Getting back was moderately more difficult with a hand basket full of groceries - he managed to bike more than three-quarters before he lost strength to pedal.

Yuki was worried: "Daddy?" she breathed with big eyes, "Are you okay?"

He panted a little, before slowly nodding. "Yeah, I'm okay" he whispered, coughing a bit. "Biking with a lot of groceries was just harder than I expected - we'll get home; it'll just take a little longer, okay?"

"Mmh" the little girl breathed, a little sad. "Okay."

"Yuki, don't be sad..."

For once, Balto didn't even have to say it; he just hummed, glad Ame was worried for his sister.

"I'm fine, Ame. Just worried about daddy."

"Daddy's strong though" Ame answered, a little insistent.

He laughed a little, surprising them both. "Well, yes I am" he said to Ame, ruffling his hair a little. "But even then, I only have so much energy - not that it's gonna stop me from getting us home."

/

 _Later that night_

"Ahhhhhh" Balto breathed, relaxing in the tub- well, they called it one, but it was basically an extra-large bucket (having sanded the rough edges thankfully). He stayed right where he was, eyes closed, even as Hana slowly slipped in - he could tell that just from her speed, and only after seconds did he look at her.

"Come on, it's not like I'll do anything" he whispered gently, touching her shoulders. "And if I were to, it wouldn't be before the kids came in, or during anything."

Hana slowly turned her head, cheeks a little red, but she managed a smile. "I know" she whispered gently, "I-I guess I'm just not used to mixed baths, even now."

"You'll get there" he assured gently, kissing her forehead gently, which she liked.

Then: "Okay kids, you can come in" he called.

Just like they'd done with all bath nights, soon the kids were inside, door closed, and clothes off by their own doing. With the heat from the tub rising up, soon the room felt warm, fogging things up a bunch - using water from the hose (attached from outside), they filled up buckets for themselves. Yuki first got herself used to the water temperature, then she proceeded to dump water all over herself with abandon, laughter included. Ame of course was more restrained, gradually getting himself wet and going straight to lathering, trying to stay far enough away from his sister's splashing.

Here at least, they could afford to be that wild; the drain was in the floor after all, kinda like shower rooms in high schools.

For Balto's part, he enjoyed washing his wife's back, even as she worked on her front - especially when he occasionally touched her back to his chest, making her jolt. He just smiled when Hana looked back, almost seeing her pout (slightly anyway), before she smiled back; of course he didn't go further than that playful act.

Eventually, they just soaked for awhile; Hana seemed to think while leaning forward.

"Hehe! Clean!"

Eyes closed, Balto smiled a bit; his children were just so cute.

Right then, Hana gave off a little sigh. "I guess we'll just have to be more frugal from now on" she breathed, in a considering tone - that opened his eyes rather quickly.

"What's 'frugal', mommy?"

"It means we should start growing our vegetables, instead of buying them at the store" she explained gently.

Ah yes- he remembered from before, during their talks, how many people in the countryside grew crops; looks like Hana wanted to start too.

His daughter then apparently shook herself like a wolf, because lather foam sprayed all over the place. "Heh, I'll help you grow them!"

"W-What about meat?"

"Oh, we'll still get meat when we can, Ame" Balto assured, following his wife's lead (her little movement basically said 'Thanks'), even as he leaned to the edge himself. "Some bought at the store, other animals caught by me; don't worry."

Ame seemed to remember something, because he then looked up at him. "Can- can I help do that, daddy?"

Yuki gasped, before jumping around in excitement, literally because she was still a half-wolf when that happened. "If Ame's gonna help, I wanna too!" she cheered, tail wagging repeatedly.

He glanced at Hana, remembering her plans for planting, but she nodded at him.

"Soon, very soon" he promised, that cheering up both of them. "Your mom and I are gonna need a few days first, to learn how to grow plants, starting things off there and such. But after that, there's gonna be a bunch of free time while the plants grow; I'll teach you how to hunt then. Okay?"

"Okay" Ame answered first, surprisingly (though Yuki wasn't far behind).

* * *

 **Well, home improvement continued as expected - next up is planting**


	10. Hunting

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

That next day, Hana brought over a big number of books about farming, which Balto hoped was enough - however, it also brought up a small problem: Yuki had nearly exposed herself in that book truck, if it weren't for his wife's quick thinking. Maybe the lesson hadn't stuck when they were toddlers, but now was as a good a time as any when it _would_ stick. So Hana suggested a bunch of sketches, also partly to prepare them for the animals they were soon to meet, which he'd agreed on... though, he'd sheepishly said he'd never drawn before, which made her laugh a bunch. Still, he went over what they should say, bouncing sentences off Hana even as she drew, which were fairly good for crayon drawings.

Eventually:

"Yuki, Ame, the two of you being wolf children is our family's little secret, okay?" Balto breathed gently, Hana showing them a picture of themselves.

"Okay" they both answered, seated before them but curious - Hana turned the picture; now them in half-wolf form.

"If you turn into wolves around other people, you'll surprise them too much" he continued, Hana turning the picture to appropriate images. "No matter what, you must promise never to do that around other humans - can you promise your mom and dad that?"

"I promise" Yuki + Ame spoke.

"And one more thing" Hana said gently, giving him the sketches now, they switching jobs. "If you meet animals out in the woods, make sure you're _not_ bossy to them-"

Internally, Balto had to suppress a laugh; that sketch of Yuki and Ame as 'bossy' was too cute for words.

"How come?" Yuki wondered, head tilted.

"Because mommy and daddy want you to be nice to them" Hana breathed, extra soft now - it wasn't hard to see why: a picture of himself and her, holding hands, their free ones over their hearts - and their rings were included, as bright red + blue spots on their fingers. "So, what do you say?"

"We'll be good!"

Then he chuckled. "You better be" Balto mildly teased, before he ruffled his kids' hair, especially making Yuki giggle at the motion. "It's important to this family; don't forget that."

"Family is important too, right daddy?"

He smiled, touching his son's shoulder, even as he crawled into his lap. "Yes it is, Ame" he answered, very soft. "It always will be."

"Like Ame just said!" Yuki cheered, standing up now where she stood. "Promises are important! Family is important! Gotta remember important stuff, or else!"

Hana giggled beside him, standing up too. "That's the spirit, Yuki" she said, completely approving; Yuki just grinned big, pretty proud.

...

Soon after that, their children occupied (Ame by reading, Yuki by playing), Hana began consulting the newest farm guides with Balto. They soon discovered that, much like their kind driver had stated, the field between the house + forest wasn't inherently desirable for farming, due to the curving land in-between. Her husband suggested that despite that, they could use that flat stretch by the road, just beyond their front yard + tool shed. While she considered it, he also added that they had acres and acres around the house to use up; no one was really gonna be bothered by it. And Hana agreed, but she definitely wanted to make sure it wasn't too close to the road either, nor too slanted; sudden rainstorms + cars driving by could splatter their crops.

So they started to dig up grass by the roots - she went in one direction, while Balto went the other, getting the outline done. When they paused, the two of them had made a twenty-feet-by-forty-feet 'field' outline, and he looked at her with a little smile, which Hana returned. By the end of the next stretch, they were slightly worn, but they'd cleared the field of grass stalks. Whacking the dirt with shovels soon proved to be the most tiring, especially since there were so many rocks around- every time she or Balto found one, they threw it to the other side of the road. That particular suggestion had been her's; in case they wanted to make more fields on this side of the road later, she didn't want to have to dig up those rocks again, or step on them on the way to the fields.

During a break, they just rested in the grass, which felt really nice, the stalks curling underneath them... and Balto kept toying with her fingers, which was nice too.

But hours later, after those steps, they soon had little helpers.

"Like this?"

"Yup, just like that, Yuki" Balto assured, all four of them sitting/crouching on either side of the 'furrows', which they'd designated as 'do not step on' zones. For her part, Hana observed Ame for a moment, who was curious as he dropped seeds in- then she picked up the water can.

"Yuki?" she breathed gently, the little girl snapping to attention. "Fill this up with water, sweetie, then come back and water the furrows. Got it?"

"I got it!" the little girl cheered, racing back to the house, going 'just' fast up the paths first, then going full-speed.

It made her smile, before Hana glanced back at the work Ame was doing; planting seeds in the ground, evenly placed from each other.

 _"Our first experience planting"_ she thought, hoping for the best.

"Like Yuki did" Ame breathed to himself, dropping another seed in.

"Yeah, just like that, Ame" she assured, smoothing the soil over with her thumbs. "Then you just cover it with a light layer-"

* * *

 _A week later_

Balto slowly leaned against a tree, just outside the forest by himself - in his tuned hearing, he could physically hear Yuki and Ame, both doing their best to hunt. Yuki was currently lunging, but she missed, laughing throughout while her opponent hissed... silence... a little 'Woah!', which told him the snake had lunged, but she'd narrowly dodged. Ame was currently treading his way through brush, trying to sneak up on something, before something else entirely snapped a branch, startling Ame and his prey. The snorting told him it was a bigger animal, perhaps a coyote, come to meet with this new presence in the forest.

Well, much as he'd like to, he couldn't help Ame there.

Bringing himself back, Balto hummed a bit, focusing inwardly now - Yuki's lunges were good, but she needed to work on her sense of timing, especially the 'waiting for the right moments' angle. Ame seemed majorly good at stealth, but his focus tended to be too narrow, not listening for anything else that might be nearby, be it threats, or even a newcomer who snaps twigs.

He smiled a bit; not uncommon beginner issues, and could already see those being part of his next lesson.

A few things he couldn't teach though: physically getting the lay of the land, honing their instincts to weather changes, meeting with the animals, and such. Not only was it advanced, best done by the wolf's own instincts, but he _didn't_ have those same instincts himself, technically... to have them would mean fully giving into his wolf side. He hesitated to do that - it was one thing to become a wolf long enough to get prey, or in bed with Hana (for sleep, sometimes in that form anyway), but being a wolf for extended periods was too tempting. His wolf instincts were suited for the wild, but he'd chosen human-

-and that's how it'll stay: he's chosen human, with wolf merely another part of him, not a temptation.

In addition, Balto didn't wish to know the lay of the land _that_ intimately - though of course he'd mapped things a bit, to know where everything was in the nearby countryside, just in case. Despite an instinct that he was being watched in the mountain's terrain, things had gone well... until he happened upon the forest's river... the sight had nearly turned his blood to ice-

Shaking his head hard, he fought to think about something else.

The more immediate problem were their crops at home... Hana had gone to ask if she could use forest leaves for fertilizer, yet still...

 _"Maybe I should've gone with her"_ he thought faintly, glancing up into the sky. _"I want this to succeed as much as she does, but what else can we do?"_

"D-Daddy?"

Brought out of it, he looked down, responding with a "Hmm?" before he hitched-

Ame was barely holding himself together; he was scratched up over his face, with numerous scuffles on his shirt too, and his eyes were teary.

-"Ame, what happened?" Balto breathed, quickly bending down, holding his son's shoulders. Ame didn't answer, but Yuki soon followed out of the forest, in better condition but annoyed- at her brother, he quickly noticed.

"Okay, we're going home, right now" he said after a moment, gently picking up Ame (who held on tight), starting to move quickly. "Ame?" he asked again-

Ame just clung to him, still sniffling; he didn't say anything.

-"Yuki?" he breathed, looking at her.

"He's such a baby" she complained, Ame making a motion at that. "The animals pick on him because he's such a fraidy-cat all the time!"

Balto made a sound, wondering if the coyote was responsible, and thinking he should've been listening better - still, he slowed upon getting into their front yard, going inside: "Be that as it may, don't call your brother a baby, Yuki" he spoke, before bending down. "It's okay, son; they're just scratches."

Yuki was still annoyed though, and didn't get the hint: "Ame's gotta learn to be tough!" she argued.

"A-Am I gonna be okay, daddy?" Ame breathed, worried, still a little teary-eyed.

"You'll be fine son, I promise" he assured, wiping them away-

-Yuki went on with her argument as well. "If a wild animal ever messed with me, I'd beat it up!" she stated proudly, standing now, having found a box of snacks. "Like that coyote, or maybe a boar instead!"

Hugging his son close, who curled against him, Balto glanced at Yuki. "Did you meet that coyote?" he asked carefully.

"Uh-huh!" she nodded, smiling proudly- but this time, she was smirking even more, which made him slightly wary. "And a mountain goat, and a monkey, but I wasn't a big fraidy-cat! They ran off when I barked at them, so I chased after them, and then I-"

"Yuki-"

"-and then I peed all over him, to show them who's boss!"

"Yuki!"

The little girl jolted; it wasn't often he raised his voice, however slight it had been.

He drew back a little, rubbing his son's back. "I thought we went over this, Yuki" he added, a bit firmer, "You were to be nice to all the other animals."

"Well- y-yeah, but-" she tried to explain.

"You promised."

Yuki visibly struggled, before sitting down. "Okay" she sulked a little, not happy about it, digging into the box without noticing.

"'Promises are important'" Balto recited gently-

-Yuki took a moment, before her sulking slowly faded away. "'Promises are important. Family is important'" she recited back, fainter, looking down, "'Gotta remember important stuff, or else.' I said that before."

Only then did he smile, "That's my girl" he whispered, even as Ame stirred against him.

"Tell me I'm gonna be okay again."

He hummed, holding his son close. "You'll be fine, Ame" he assured, even gentler.

...

 _That night_

Hana let out a sigh, trying to let everything out as she lay down on her bed-spread - she was worried, mainly about their crops, but the little incident with Yuki was there too. Though, she supposed with such cheerful behavior, and how little they let out Yuki back in the city (plus not having playmates other than her brother), this was bound to happen. If she'd been there instead of Balto, she'd have put her foot down too of course, even if she wasn't an expert on animal behavior. Having bundles of energy could also be done badly, if you applied it to the wrong behaviors, but she was gonna have to make sure Yuki behaved as well.

Gonna have to keep an eye on-

-she jolted; a hand gently stroked her leg.

Heart beating faster, Hana could feel her cheeks heating up, "I-It's late" she told him, a little shy.

"I know" Balto whispered gently - the hand moved up and down hypnotically, from her legs to her sides, to her hips, and back with a different area each time. "But Hana, we've already worked so hard... I'm not saying we can't handle it, not at all, but a little relaxation won't hurt either."

The way his hand moved, intimately, yet only enough to 'suggest' multiple things- mmh.

"You don't want to?"

A moment, then she turned toward Balto, her heart still beating fast. "More like... I'm not sure what I'd like to do" she whispered softly, gently caressing his cheek, "It's been awhile, after all."

"Don't I know it" he breathed, scooting closer, "We were tired most nights, adjusting to everything."

"And because of that, we weren't usually in a mood to do anything" Hana admitted, liking the little breathes she felt from him. "Just enough to sleep, and cuddle, but those one was out of instinct, experience."

The slightest smile. "You still loved it, as I did" he continued, even closer now. "Is that what you want now?"

"T-To cuddle?"

"Yeah."

After that, she kissed him softly, "Just hold me like you usually do" she whispered in his ear, as soft as she could. "Sooner or later, I'll make up my mind."

"Mmh, can't wait" Balto whispered back, equally soft.

He kissed her again, but they never let go of each other.

* * *

Well, seems he's taught them pretty well.

"Wolf pups start learning how to hunt at four months of age" Hana re-read beside him - just ahead, Yuki was racing after something on their little nature walk, while Ame clung to his leg. "In human terms, that's about toddler age, right?"

"Pretty much, yeah" Balto breathed gently, looking down at Ame for a moment. "We didn't have much opportunity in the city, so they learned a year or two late, but they're naturals."

It was certainly true; Yuki and Ame had taken his basic lessons to heart, learning the rest as they went along, almost like their instincts had been starved. He was still observing them as they hunted, having to intervene/instruct less and less, but he barely minded; his kids were growing up well, and he was proud. Internally though, he and Hana were a little worried: Ame had suddenly become reluctant about the mention/usage of his wolf form, wouldn't say what, and had to be nudged into hunting the past few days. And rather privately, he had another thing on his mind-

 _"We're a pack!"_

 _"Nu-uh!"_

That was definitely unusual, though he supposed it _could_ be human behavior instead... but there was no easy way to tell, least right now.

After a little stretch, he stopped, Ame slowing without noticing at his feet.

"You wanna go ahead?" Balto asked, feeling determined, Hana jolted as she looked back at him. "Keep an eye on Yuki?"

"But, you're the better judge on hunting than I am" she pointed out, slightly confused. "Plus you can be faster, if something goes wrong."

"It's not really that hard to tell, Hana; you chase, you catch, and- well you know" he breathed. "Yuki's mostly fine-tuning 'chase + catch' right now; you can judge that part easily."

"But what-?" Hana started to say again.

"It'll be fine, Hana" he told her, before visibly glancing at Ame (twice).

Her expression slowly changed at that, blinking... "Oh" Hana breathed, before slowly nodding. "I understand" she continued, quickly running off after Yuki - he waited until she was well out of hearing, before slowly turning to Ame.

"You okay, son?" Balto asked, a little faint.

"W-Why wouldn't I be?"

He bent down slowly, getting to eye-level. "I don't mean physically, Ame" he whispered, as gentle as he could, "I mean that recently, you haven't payed much attention, and you avoid mentions of your wolf self - you're even reluctant to hunt suddenly. I'm worried if something's troubling you, Ame; that's all."

A full minute must have passed, at least, then Ame slowly pressed against his chest... he held his son close, rubbing Ame's back, breathing steady as he waited.

"Daddy... why...?"

"Why what?"

"Why... why do wolves always have to be the bad guys?"

Balto paused, and suddenly pieces came together... his son's reluctance of becoming a half-wolf recently; his being scared around other animals, who he thought might hate him because they treated him harshly (via scratching him); even his 'nu-uh' reason to his sister about not joining a pack suddenly made more sense now. Slowly, very slowly, he let out a breath...

"You mean, like in your picture book?" he whispered, feeling his son start to tremble.

"E-Everybody's always mean to them... and they always get killed at the end... if it's because of that, I-I don't wanna be a wolf..."

His entire being basically shuddered; oh Ame, his sweet little boy - he even started to tear up, for a moment anyway.

"I'm not a bad guy, Ame" Balto whispered, as gentle as he could.

His son gasped, but didn't stop trembling.

"I'm a wolf too, Ame, and I'm not a bad guy" he continued, holding Ame tightly. "Mommy knows that too; it's why we're together. She doesn't hate me. She loves me, as she loves Yuki and you - I love you all too. Not all wolves are bad guys. Not all people hate wolves either."

"...t-they don't?"

"No, Ame" he whispered, completely sincere. "Some people look at the wolf as one of the most noble creatures, with a majestic look, and even more beautiful howls. Whether it's a lone wolf, living a solitary life, yet that life being their's to choose, or a pack working together to bring down larger animals - they are fierce hunters, who's power is to be admired."

As he said all that, Ame slowly lifted his head, eyes teary- almost as if in a trance.

Then before his son's eyes, Balto changed into a wolf, moving a slight distance so that Ame could see him properly (even if it slipped him out of his clothes).

"Look at me, Ame" he whispered, still gentle. "Does this looks like a bad guy?"

Ame just stared at him, still in the trance... he slowly crawled over, burying himself in his fur, grip tight (he gently held a paw over his son's back). They must have stayed like this for a while, before:

"Oh, there's daddy! Daddy!"

Glancing at Ame first (who didn't hear), Balto then looked over; Hana approaching with Yuki, who was in half-wolf form, clutching a bird as big as she was by the neck.

"I caught this big bird, grabbing it after it honked at me!"

With his free claw, he made the 'shhh' motion, and kept it that way for at least ten seconds - Hana must have gotten the message, because Yuki didn't loudly call over anymore, for whatever reason his wife came up with.

Ame just remained close to him, and wouldn't let go.

...

 _Later_

Hana slowly breathed out; the sun was starting to set, which made it about- mmh, at least five hours since their trip in the forest. Slowly, she peeked through the open slide door - Balto still sat there on the stonework, holding Ame in his lap, gently rubbing his back despite it having been so long. With barely a motion, he shook his head, as if he knew she was there - not that she was surprised: her husband had a wolf's hearing even while human, to some degree anyway (she thought it was fullest while he was a wolf, or maybe giving into his wolf instincts).

She knew something had happened, when he talked to Ame + ended the talk in his wolf form, but Balto wouldn't say anything about it right now. Though, he did hint that Ame was at a fragile state right now, and that it was best to save the talk for when he was asleep.

 _"He'll tell me when that happens"_ she assured to herself. _"He will."_

A little better-

"Mommy?"

Hana jolted a little; Yuki sounded like she was at the field.

"Mommy, come here."

Quickly, she started moving at a mild sprint, seeing her daughter was indeed near there. "What is it, Yuki?"

Yuki's tone was sad: "They're floppy again."

"What!?" she freaked a little, quickly running again to see this for herself! Barely a glance showed this was indeed the case, but they also looked like they'd rotted, rather than just flopping. "What- what happened? A-A disease or something? Their leaves..."

"Mommy?"

Having had her sleeve tugged, Hana looked over-

-Yuki remained sad, worried. "What's gonna happen?" she asked, tapping her fingers. "W-We're not gonna starve, are we?"

For a moment, it took nearly everything she had not to freak... then Hana shook her head quickly, putting on a smile, eyes closed. "We're gonna be okay" she breathed, trembling inside; they needed to get this, and soon. "Your father and I just need to study harder - will you and Ame be our little helpers again?"

Yuki slowly nodded, still worried-

-she wouldn't have known what to say next, until she noticed something: a man standing outside his car, just beside their house.

"Yuki, go inside please" Hana said, trying for gentle. "Help daddy, if he needs it."

"Okay."

Closer up, the man was clearly elderly in age, but his bearing was a strong one... the near-constant set of his brow and mouth both said that for certain.

"Good evening" Hana responded with a smile. "I'm sorry we haven't been down the hill for a proper visit yet. Growing our own produce is harder than it looks; the books from the library haven't really prepared us for all of this. But I know being up here is good for us, all this nature, you know?"

The man slowly 'hmph'ed. "'All this nature' just killed your tomato vines. What do you think of that?" he asked, completely no-nonsense.

She wasn't sure how to answer.

"You can plant new ones till you're blue in the face" he continued, "but you aren't cut out for this."

Part of her wondered if he meant 'you' personally, or 'you' as in their family. "Well" she breathed, smiling again, "I guess we'll learn-"

"Oh, stop it" he interrupted, jolting her. "Smiling like that, makes you look like a damn fool."

Feeling really confused, Hana didn't know what to say as he got in his truck and left... it's not like she felt offended, but something just didn't add up. She was aware that some people could be 'hard cases', who's every word sounded sharp, but what ultimately mattered was beneath the words.

Thus far, she wasn't sure what was beneath this old man's words...

"He was scary..."

Slowly looking to her right, she found Yuki popping out of the grass, still worried- her daughter must have watched anyway.

Heh, well, can't say she's surprised about that.

Hana managed a small smile. "I don't know about scary yet, Yuki" she answered, walking back up the hill, pulling her daughter close. "His words are sharp, but maybe he's a nice guy underneath. I guess we'll see."

* * *

 _The next day_

"Let's see... this and that arrangement, preferred over this." Balto breathed to himself, writing on his piece of paper, ignoring the sound of rain entirely. Across from him, Hana was doing much the same, while a glance showed Yuki + Ame were still just watching it rain. He did his best to write everything down, knowing how important this was, and they needed to prove themselves. Thus far they still had money, but if they couldn't get this down soon, they might reach more limited options- he'd rather avoid that if at all possible.

All this continued... until, very surprisingly, a car drove straight up to their front yard.

Yuki and Ame freaked a little and ran, hiding behind his legs when he stood up, while Hana was the first to walk over - someone, in heavily-protective 'rain gear' quickly ran up, and let out a big sigh of relief as 'she' got out from under the deluge. "Woo! It's really coming down out there!"

"Uh, can I help you?"

The woman turned around, giving Hana a bag. "Here; these will help."

"Okay, but what are they?" his wife wondered, taking it.

"Seed potatoes."

"Those are the kind you put in the ground, right?"

The woman let out a big laugh. "Dad would pop a blood vessel if he heard you ate them" she said easily, "and don't mind what he said about your tomatoes-"

For Balto's part, he was surprised; this was the daughter of the old man Hana mentioned talking to? And more than that, he recognized her from his brief shopping visit some time ago, the one who'd asked the counter person if they were the new neighbors.

"-he barks a lot, but he's harmless."

"I-I didn't meant to rile him up" Hana admitted, a little sheepish.

The woman just chuckled, before she noticed them over there: "Hey ya kids!"

Yuki and Ame shrank even further behind his legs; it was like they were competing for which one could 'only' be back there.

"Oh, sorry, they're shy" Balto said, friendly of course.

"Not a problem" the older woman assured. "We just don't see too many young couples out here with kids."

"Well, we kinda needed a special place to get away" Hana breathed, smiling as she said it. "And it's great for them too."

"I won't deny that part; you two just surprise me."

"Huh?" Balto breathed, while behind his legs, his kids decided to be behind the wall instead (not enough room). "Why's that?"

"Most folk from the cities don't last long out here" the older woman answered. "Thus far, you've been sticking it out, and you don't look like you're anywhere near out of patience to me."

"You've got that right, ma'am" Hana answered, smiling even bigger. "This place is wonderful."

Their friend had a small smile, before she dug beneath her outerwear. "Here you go as well" she said, handing Hana a slip of paper (and answering before she could form the question). "This is a list of people who live in or near our little village - details who's family, if they have kids or pets, and other small-yet-important details. Anytime you wanna get to know people, just ask."

And like that, the older woman popped up her hood and got back into the rain- briefly anyway, getting into her car and then driving out. Once the sounds wore off, Yuki and Ame started to come out behind him-

Balto could only look at Hana, who glanced back at him, really surprised despite everything - suddenly they'd gotten help from a neighbor, more than they bargained for even. But they hadn't even done anything in return yet... was that just a random desire to be generous?

* * *

 **Random, no XD Still, of course planting didn't quite go smoothly at first**

 **But life also goes on, particularly in our half-wolves' dealings with others, Ame's struggle included**


	11. Growing Crops

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

 _The next day_

It wasn't long before they got a wake-up call, several in fact, when it came to planting.

Balto looked over a spare seed potato, even as Hana, Yuki, and Ame started putting them in the ground - the sight made him content. Still, he had to hand it to these little spuds; according to the information provided in their books, they were grown to be disease-free + grow healthy plants at the same time. Speaking of which, with all those newer books they'd gotten recently, he might have to build a new bookshelf just for them before long. The thought made him smile, remembering how he'd said similar to Hana back in the city-

However, he soon jolted when the sound of a car door reached his ears, he looking at- Mr Nirasaki?

Their children, being shy, quickly ran back to the house (behind the brush actually), while they stood up. "Uh, hey there, Mr. Nirasaki" he greeted-

-Hana added onto it: "Thanks for those potatoes you sent up" she breathed with her usual smile.

"Well, I should have just thrown them all away" the old man grumbled, before he leaned down, digging up their freshly-buried seed potatoes. They barely started to react to this before he bluntly answered: "Your soil's not ready for planting yet."

They were left speechless... all their work, and they couldn't even figure that part out?

"Ah... then, please Mr. Nirasaki!" his wife exclaimed, determined. "What will make it ready!?"

"Dig this field up again" he merely said, before turning to go. "I'll be back."

They could only stare after him, then at each other- but after the fact, they didn't have anything to lose. So with much back-breaking effort, the two of them basically beat this dirt over again, including when Mr. Nirasaki said "gonna have to dig it up better than that". Hana asked about fertilizer, but Nirasaki merely said the forest leaves would be enough, which was fine by Balto, though it wouldn't have been an issue to buy any from the stores. However, they soon got a little overwhelmed when Mr. Nirasaki said to dig up the next section, making an extra field-

"That's a little much, isn't it?" Hana asked, sweat-soaked already. "I don't know that our family will eat that many potatoes."

"What are ya, deaf?"

She jolted, but Mr. Nirasaki wasn't done:

"And you boy, write this down, for all the good it'll do either of you. Then make yourself useful and help your wife get this done."

Rather put-off, Balto slowly glanced at Hana, who despite similar reactions slowly gave him a little nod - so, a little weary, he paused to take notes on all this, then rejoined Hana in digging up another field.

By the end of that, they were both heavily panting again-

"Furrows are next."

Internally, he slumped a little- not even a break.

"...okay" Hana breathed, starting to follow.

Balto jolted; she wasn't even _trying_ to pause, not till she got this done... she was amazing. Then he wondered why he was doing any less, even by 'despairing' slightly over getting a break - taking in a deep breath, he followed Hana, and worked with renewed energy.

As it turned out, they'd been crowding the furrows together (by farming standards), and that they were a little too small overall. Remembering his basic knowledge from their books, this must have been overdrawing the soil, which even when things were 'right' wasn't a good thing, but had been initially worse for them because they had little nutrients to draw on. The entire time, Hana was the picture of determination: soaked in sweat, flushed and panting, yet tackling each obstacle with fervor no matter what. Despite his own weariness, it brought a smile, even when panting; he was lucky to have such a beautiful, hard-working woman by his side.

Much, much later, they finally just leaned against their tools... until they slowly looked over.

Mr. Nirasaki, who had been cutting their seed potatoes in half for the last stretch, held up the bag with said produce. "A week from now, plant them cut-side-down in those furrows" he told them, dropping it onto the thick grass, even as he turned to go. "Don't water them; just leave them be."

"W-Well, uh..." Hana breathed at first, before she managed her usual smile + cheerfulness, "I really appreciate you teaching... us..."

Mr. Nirasaki was already leaving; Balto wasn't sure what to think, or even whether he should feel put-off or grateful - it had been made clear his words were 'all bark', but still, he was helping them. He vaguely felt sure that if asked about this, the old man would deny it, and that the best way to show their gratitude was to get results- which they intended to anyway.

It was many seconds after that, that Yuki and Ame finally popped up from their not-so-secret hiding spot (he could hear the rustling). Soon they came down, just to the edge of the field: "Mommy? Daddy?" Yuki wondered, a little worried. "You okay?"

Hana just sorta collapsed-

...

 _That same second_

For a moment, Hana couldn't take it anymore, falling on her butt - she just felt weary, and even this dirt was looking comfy.

"Mommy!?"

"Hana!"

"Ohh" she breathed, her family crowding around. "Sorry guys, just a little tired... and my back is killing me."

That got a reaction out of Balto, not just of worry, but something rare for her; she didn't really complain. Now she had, because her back had twinged that badly - it wouldn't have stopped her, but she needed a moment after everything.

"Okay" her husband breathed, partly to himself, before he looked at the worried Yuki + Ame. "You two go inside; we'll be right behind you."

"Okay." - "Uh-huh."

Hana slowly looked up, before jolting- Balto bent down in front of her, back-first.

"Get on my back, Hana" he whispered, very gentle.

She gasped slightly-

"Either you get on, or I'll carry you; let me help you out now, okay?"

Her entire body fervently agreed, while her mind tried to find a reason otherwise, but losing... after a few moments, she touched his shoulders. "Don't throw your back out for me, Balto" she whispered, resting against her husband with a smile.

A slight chuckle. "It's not that far; I'll be fine enough" he assured, pulling her arms around his neck securely. "Annnd... here we go!"

It wasn't without hitch, due to him being as tired + weary as she was, but he managed to lift her off the ground. Panting with effort, he walked back toward their home with jerky steps, but this still got impressed 'woah' reactions from their kids, thinking he was so strong (she agreed). Balto assured Yuki and Ame that she was fine, just tired, before he eventually lay her down on the bed-spread... except, he did it so she was laying flat on her stomach. Hana wasn't really against that, but laying on her back would feel a bit better, for support and such - however, just when she started to adjust, Balto's hands gently touched her back.

Hana made a sound... especially when his hands slipped underneath her shirt, body hitching in response.

"W-What are you doing?"

He didn't answer, until his hands reached her back muscles... then they started massaging there.

"Ah!" Hana breathed, heart beating even faster, but his strong fingers- ohhhh, that started feeling good.

"If you felt weary enough to complain Hana, then I think you needed this" he whispered gently, in her ear by that last part, making her briefly shiver.

"I- I wasn't gonna let it stop me" she mumbled, yet enjoying this. "Little to the left."

A small hum, "I knew that too" he continued, very soft, laying beside her carefully as his arms continued. "You never stop moving onward; you're even inspiring me right now, despite my aching muscles. But like I've said, sometimes we all need a moment of relaxation."

Ah- ahh- oh! There, right there... ohhhh, it was like the tension was draining right out of her!

"Okay, I swear I didn't plan that" he breathed, unsure. "I-I'm not really an expert at this..."

Somehow, that got her giggling, and she turned her head toward him. "You do it well enough, Balto" Hana whispered, giving him a soft, gentle kiss for his 'troubles' (which lasted awhile). "Though now it's unfair - I still have to do a moment of relaxation for you" she added.

He gave off a little smile, relieved his efforts had still helped. "Like this, merely being with you here is relaxing for me" he whispered, invitingly close-

-it made her feel even warmer, that he said that with such sincerity.

"Yet still" she answered, kissing him again- he held her close as it continued, while she scooted closer, running her fingers over his shoulders. "I do have to try as well."

Balto looked at her efforts for a little, but kept the smile. "I realize it's not gonna stop you, but... well, you don't have to" he said, slightly teasing-

She answered that with her own teasing look, still moving her fingers on his shoulders.

"Yup, knew it" he continued, kissing her again, which she had no issues with.

/

 _A week later_

As it turned out, Balto was more resistant to back-breaking work than she was - he claimed it was his experience in the mover business, via carrying a lot of heavy furniture + boxes. And Hana was happy for him of course; if he didn't strain as much, then that was good news for them both, especially when it came to the work involved with planting. Plus the back massages he gave every so often were good too (he insisted), but even without them, she would've made do anyway. Speaking of planting though, she was again being put through her paces in planting knowledge - two older gentlemen were helping her out, while Balto was out in the forest with Yuki + Ame, watching over them as they hunted again.

"Camomile with the cabbage; if you plant them together, the bugs won't give you any trouble-"

"Don't listen to him. Cabbages and celery; that's the way to go."

"Celery's no good for beginners - camomile is easier-"

"What's she gonna do with a bunch of camomile? Make tea leaves all day long?"

As Hana quickly discovered, while they argued a bunch, their words had no bite either - and their knowledge was equally impressive; they just had differences in opinion over what she should try first. What was best vs. what was easy, what was better for a 'newbie' vs. what pros use, and other such things... once she digested this, she was writing things down with abandon. Said 'argument help' continued even when they returned to her home, with first-hand planting techniques showcased to her: whether watering the hole would be moist enough for the soil or not, yet no one argued that planting shallow was the way to go; to use a layer of fertilizer after they've been planted, the argument being over how much was enough ('a little' vs 'more'). The entire time, she could barely get words in, and she felt like she was at a tennis match...

But if it would help her and Balto grow these plants, she'd take it all!

And those old men weren't the only source to help her out that day - four other neighbors had dropped in on them, married like her and Balto, just older. They'd given her what they called 'wood vinegar', which according to them, was a homemade concoction that would help keep pests out of her garden. She appreciated it, even as talk continued about how it wasn't easy out here, and how through that, most people got discouraged. Especially older men looking for the 'simple life', which this clearly wasn't despite appearances. They also mentioned that irrigation (getting land ready for agriculture, she remembered) was rather bad, and they got a lot of snow...

Internally, Hana pictured that for a moment, based off Balto's old photo.

...but they always had each other, which brought a smile to her face.

She couldn't agree more, as despite the initial silence, their neighbors were all coming together now - they'd already done so much to help their family. Hana knew that once their crops grew in, she'd have to give out portions of it as thanks; it was the right thing to do. Besides, if these plants grew as much food as they were stated to, their family was soon gonna have more vegetables than they bargained for. And once the upcoming winter became a possibility, they would need to stockpile their vegetables; probably gonna need to find a freezer then, because the fridge wouldn't do.

A lot of work had been put in, and a lot still needed to be done; she hoped it would all work out, for their sakes.

Just then however, a faint howl came upon the wind, making her and the other neighbors jolt.

 _"Wait, is that Balto?"_ she thought, trying to remember the different tones for her family's howls-hmm.

"Was that a wolf?"

"It shouldn't be; they're extinct in Japan."

"Well, whatever that was, sure sounds a lot like a wolf."

Internally only, Hana smiled a bit, giggling - if only they knew.

* * *

Just in front, Ame lunged, Balto moving back just as fast before moving in their circle - smiled, gently nodding when Ame looked at him; he was doing fine. At the edge of his hearing, he could hear the sounds of Hana talking with two other women in the front yard (young moms, judging by the underlying laughter of kids), along with a watchful Yuki in the brush. Balto was fairly sure their talk involved trying to find work soon, as now that they were (hopefully) getting the hang of these crops, there was still the issue of burning through their savings. Well, if Hana wanted to work, he'd support her of course - he was sure it would make her feel like she was helping out evenly, as he was.

Not to mention, now that they had so much free time waiting for their crops, it seemed-

-he shifted, sniffing at the air.

"Huh?" Ame breathed, pausing.

"Stay close behind me, Ame" Balto breathed, slightly serious, even as he walked near the road, using the brush as cover. It didn't take long to see the culprits: rabbits about ten feet away from their fields, no doubt sniffing for what was edible.

 _Not_ on his watch.

In seconds, after quickly determining no one on the road + the young mothers and kids weren't nearby enough to see, Balto was running on all fours. He planted himself between their crops and the rabbits, growling- they bolted of course, but he didn't move, sniffing the air again.

"D-Daddy?"

"It's okay, son" Balto assured, still being carefully. "I'm just protecting our crops."

"Mmh" Ame breathed, before his ears perked slightly, him reacting. "D-Dad-"

"-I hear it too" he whispered low; that boar... but why was it coming from around the village?

The answer to that was on it's hide; it was trailing numerous stalks of crops, and they smelled of their neighbors... that made him feel a tinge of worry for them. When the boar turned toward their field though, it stopped upon seeing him - to make sure it understood the message, he went into full threatening-mode, growling low.

It took a little, but the boar ran off... only once it was far away did he relax, along with quickly change back. Balto spent a few moments panting a little, relieved - he was used to catching small, fast animals, not territorial fights.

But it's okay now-

-his thought trailed off the moment he saw his son crouching behind the foliage.

"T-That looked scary, daddy" Ame mumbled.

"Ame, I only scared the boar to keep him away from our family, our crops" he quickly assured, as gently as he could, "I didn't mean to scare you, and you know I'm not a scary guy. Right?"

Ame slowly nodded, before he stepped out, "Right" he breathed, but a little better, even smiling. However, he was soon distracted when Yuki bounded past him-

"Daddy, what's a 'preschool'?" she asked, intent.

Balto slowly blinked, surprised.

"And how come me and Ame don't get to go to one?"

...

Wanting to ask Hana what his daughter was talking about, he hadn't given Yuki a proper answer... so naturally, she asked it again at dinner, this time to Hana. She tried to explain, but Yuki continued to demand that she wanted to go, and even threw a verbal tantrum of 'I wanna go to preschool!' when Hana tried to say she can't ("IwannagoIwannagoIwannagoIwannagoIwannagoIwannagoIwannagoIwannagoIwannagoSOTHERE!"). It gave him _serious_ Deja Vu to Yuki's cranky states from when she was a toddler, except worse- he swore he dug into his ears after awhile, due to how loud she could be. Hana was no less exasperated in dealing with it, but it took all of dinner before it gave out-

-after which, Yuki realized she'd turned into a wolf during her rant, then ran off.

Hana made a sound, as did Ame, reaching after Yuki like he didn't want her to leave, but he raised a hand and got up. "I got this" he assured them, moving out of the living room... though he didn't need to look far; Yuki was 'hiding' in a little cranny.

"Hey" Balto breathed gently after a moment, slowly getting on his knees, a fair distance away.

Yuki sniffled, knees to her chest, hands on them, "I know i-it's supposed to be a secret, daddy" she whimpered, eyes teary. "I'll be good, I promise!"

"Oh, Yuki" he whispered, slowly sliding closer, but sitting against the cabinet- near her, yet not intruding. "You're not in big trouble."

"I-I'm not?"

"Nooo" he breathed out, subconsciously remembering how he said similar to Hana, way back when. "You promised to keep it a secret from other people; our family already knows. You can change around us, when we're alone together."

No answer, other than a few more sniffles.

Balto shifted a bit, getting closer to Yuki. "You weren't bad for being a wolf, Yuki" he whispered gently, "You were bad for yelling like that."

She whimpered again. "A-Am I still in trouble?"

"Not big" he answered softly, before gently touching her hands. "Definitely not big."

Slowly, Yuki lifted her gaze, "B- B-But I was bad" she breathed, teary and confused.

"There are many different kinds of bad; small, big, and everything in-between" he continued, still gentle. "Yours was a small bad - we forgive that very easily, if you say the right words."

She looked at him for several moments before slowly, tentatively, Yuki slipped out of her cranny... he gently guided her into a hug, holding her for awhile.

"I- I-I'm sorry, daddy..."

A little smile: "That's good, Yuki" he whispered softly. "I forgive you."

"Mommy too?"

"She will, if you say sorry to her too."

"D-Do I have to?"

"It would be nice."

Two seconds later, his daughter wriggled out of his grip, still a little teary-eyed, but determined - he gave her a little nod. Yuki wiped her eyes, before slowly going back into the living room, he watching for a bit before standing up, keeping the smile.

/

 _A few days later_

Hana had to admit, Yuki gave her _quite_ the scare yesterday, when some of her neighbors were over! Yuki being in wolf form, in full view of them, had nearly made her freak on the spot - luckily for them all, it was soon decided it must be a hybrid, as wolves were extinct in Japan, maybe the kind that made those howls.

Oh, if only they knew...

Howls from the mountains were one thing, but that scare, she didn't think she could handle that again! And it looks like Yuki's gonna need another lesson, because that had been too close!

But anyway, back to their moment of truth _today_.

Hana glanced at Balto right next to her; he was a little nervous himself, but he nodded - Yuki and Ame stayed close too, knowing enough to be worried, but mostly hopeful + curious to see.

"Go for it" he whispered gently.

Gripping her rake, she dug into the dirt twice, and then yanked on the vine. After only two inches, Hana saw a dozen or more potatoes, making her gasp + pull harder, more and more showing up! Balto let out a long breath, even as Yuki started cheering with giggles, Ame sorta following his sister's lead with little curious breathes, trying to reach for them.

"If this is only one plant, we're gonna need more buckets!" she said, feeling a weight off her chest; it worked!

Balto just chuckled, clapping her shoulder once. "Then you go get more, and I'll start pulling your share until you get back" he said, before glancing at their kids. "And don't forget to do your shares too, Yuki, Ame. Okay?"

"Okay!" - "Of course."

Letting out a breath of her own, Hana kissed Balto right there on the lips - he was surprised, but she just grinned big, happy (including when she went to get more buckets). Unnoticed by her, blinking, Balto just slowly laughed at her affection before he started pulling on the uprooted vine... and once she did get back, it was in time for a little scene:

"Mmmmhhhh" Yuki strained, pulling on hers, before it snapped and sent her backward with an "Ahhh!"

"Yuki, are you okay?" Ame asked, pausing on pulling his root.

"I'm fine, I'm fine" she said quickly, looking at her snapped roots, a little sadder.

"It's okay; sometimes this happens" their father explained. "Just pull on the sections still in the ground."

Hana smiled, before 'playfully' taking her section of roots from his hands - he merely chuckled, going onto another bunch without issue. Work like this went by in an excited blur, the family so happy that this was working, doing all jobs by themselves.

Though of course, not all of it went that way: "Mommy?" Ame asked at one point.

Hana paused, looking at her son, who seemed sadder. "Ame?"

"T-They keep breaking when I pull" Ame breathed, unsure. "A-am I doing it wrong?"

After a moment, she smiled, gently touching his shoulder. "I don't think so" Hana assured him, gentle. "But if you don't feel like pulling them, you can help us with another important job."

"Huh?" he jolted, but curious.

"See all these bits attached?" she pointed out, using one nearby potato as her reference. "They were in the ground for a long time, and they need to be cleaner before we can eat them. Perhaps you'd like to do that instead?"

Ame considered this, glancing at the roots several times. "I just pick the dirt off?" he asked, she nodding, before he got a little smile. "I'd like to do that, mommy."

"Then go ahead, Ame" Hana said gently, handing him potatoes; Ame was soon into it, and that seemed to agree with him better. A brief touch on her shoulder turned her head, seeing Balto smiling at her, approving- she touched his hand back, nodding, even as he returned to his work.

Or rather, he would've, had he not noticed what Yuki was doing with her latest bunch of potatoes.

"Hehehe!" Yuki cheered, chucking them at her bucket - most landed inside, but more than a few had landed outside it.

Balto gave her a side glance, chuckling as he went over to the bucket in question, picking them up.

Hana just laughed, though part of it was the still-present relief; this was more like it!

By the end, they had numerous buckets full of potatoes, enough to last months, and this had just been one field! But of course, Hana hadn't forgotten her obligations to their kind neighbors - she went to see the two older gentlemen after that, while Balto went elsewhere.

They were grateful for the potatoes of course, but as she soon discovered, more so than merely for the gift itself- a wild boar had destroyed many of the others' crops (not enough for them to worry, yet still). That being said, she was soon rewarded with other provisions from the two older gentlemen - carrying them back had been quite the workout, but she managed it. It was only lain on thick from there, as when she got home, she found Balto having similar things bestowed upon him for their kindness. He was sheepish, but also said he wasn't surprised; she'd been talking about paying them back for all the advice anyway. When their neighbors mentioned 'what's your secret?' about the boar though, she noticed Balto's answer, while evasive as expected, paused him slightly more than it should have.

Did that mean he ran into the boar recently?

The biggest repayment though came from Mrs. Nirasaki, the day after the boar questioning - she'd surprisingly given their family cartons of eggs; something they hadn't had in a while (already Hana was imaging the foods she could make with these). However, the woman soon noticed her 'cute little' fridge, which confused her- was there something wrong with it?

Next thing she and Balto knew, they were having a full-size one brought over in a truck!

"Easy does it-"

"Please, t-this is a little much" Balto breathed, instinctively going to help them with a third pair of hands, his mover experience kicking in - but he took the words right out of her mouth.

"It was just gathering dust in the shed anyway; least this way, it's getting some good use. And if we came back home with this thing, we'll catch hell from the old man."

Hana jolted, "Grandpa Nirasaki?" she wondered.

"It's always 'Hana and Balto' with that guy lately - if I didn't know better, I'd say he's got a crush on you Hana-"

"Don't be silly; he's _ninety_ , and she's married-"

"I know, I know; like I said, I know better than that."

"Then what's the real deal?"

"Probably that he's developed a soft spot for you two Hana, Balto; he appreciates hard workers, that's for sure."

Balto, who'd been blinking over the 'crush' thing, looked at her with considerable surprise - Hana couldn't deny feeling the same, even as the three of them disappeared into the house, yet within earshot. Now it all made sense: the moment they proved that they worked hard, stayed at working hard, and intended to keep doing so (whatever his real reaction to her cheery persona was), Grandpa Nirasaki had started helping.

She had to thank him, next time they crossed paths.

Still, Hana then realized she was still standing there, then jolted and raced to get inside! She came in just in time, seeing them land the fridge down with grunts - this got her finding drinks quickly; it was the least she could do! At the same time though, Yuki and Ame were hiding behind the beams, shy yet still curious about this.

"Mommy?" Ame breathed, "W-What are they doing?"

"They're uh, giving us a gift, Ame" she answered, with a little smile to assure him, "For all the help your father and I have given them recently."

"It's pretty big" Yuki noted, cheery despite her shyness. "Will we have two fridges now?"

"I-I'm not sure about that yet" Hana breathed, quickly balancing the glasses on the tray. "But for right now, it looks like we will."

* * *

 **Now things are coming together, finally, for their new life**

 **Plus it was implied in the movie, Yuki chasing animals away from their crops- well, she's not the only one anymore. But there's still the beginnings of wanting to go to school, and winter soon to come before that**


	12. Winter

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

 _Late that night_

Hana slowly drew her hand over the new fridge, marveling - it hadn't even been a day yet, but still she couldn't get over it's size. Maybe that was just having been used to an apartment-sized fridge for so long though...

A hand slipped into her free one.

She turned, not surprised to see Balto, grasping his hand back with a little smile, even as he returned the latter affection. He looked at their joined hands for a moment, then glanced over everything, including the sleeping Yuki + Ame in their bed-spread, snoozing peacefully.

"I knew a village community was friendly, but-" he whispered, looking back, other hand going to her shoulder. "But this is almost overwhelming."

"If it helps, I'm feeling the same" Hana admitted softly, stepping closer. "Everyone's been so kind, even if it took a little while."

He hummed, though that might've been her playing with his fingers. "So what do you think, Hana?" Balto breathed, holding her now, but his bearing + tone remained normal.

"Hmm?"

"About all this? The move, our new house, everything... I know we had to, yet still."

Despite her beating heart + pink cheeks, Hana rested against Balto's chest, smiling - he was warm, and when he hugged her closer, that only increased. "I wasn't sure if it would work in the beginning, despite everything we talked about" she whispered.

He rubbed her back gently, just listening.

"They were all such big changes, but now- now I'm certain we made the right decision" Hana continued, even more soft, kissing Balto's neck (he moved a little, one hand teasing the tips of her hair). "We're all happy out here, with so much free space to run around in, neighbors who care about us, and no prying eyes. Even you're looser, Balto-"

"Why's that?"

"Mmh, I'm not sure exactly" she whispered, "Maybe it's because you indulge your wolf side more often. I can't say I mind that at all."

After a count of two, Balto kissed her hair, holding her even closer. "Maybe it's that" he whispered gently. "It could also be that I enjoy every moment I can with this family."

Her heart beat faster, grip tightening, but he welcomed it.

"I was almost pulled away once... I don't intend to let that happen again-"

"-neither do I."

"I love you, Hana-

"-I love you too, Balto."

They were close to trembling, but their words were soft, motions intimate... it might have seemed strange, but in their love, it wasn't at all.

"Still, thank you."

Hana looked up- Balto stayed very close, fingers brushing against her bangs, "F-For what?" she whispered.

"For going after me that first day" he breathed, resting his forehead against hers; her heart only beat faster. "For loving me as I am, even giving me a wonderful family to call my own... everything really."

She felt tears fall, yet they were happy, just as she was. "Nothing's over yet, Balto" Hana whispered, shaking as she held him tighter.

"I know" he whispered, even closer. "I know, Hana- but I had to say it."

They kissed, hard, out of love + passion - for a long time before they went to sleep, that's all that happened.

/

 _A month later_

"Getting everything?"

"Yeah" Balto replied, watching as Yuki and Ame moved ahead, helping him carry buckets of their crops inside. "This crop came in well, so we're set- and your shopping trip?"

Hana smiled, bending down and picking up one of his buckets - Yuki and Ame soon moved past them, getting more bucketfuls, almost like a game. "We're heavily restocked on 'store' meat, don't worry about that" she answered, both of them going inside, "With winter soon upon us, I imagine we'll need it; many animals go into hibernation during this time."

"True, but there's some that don't; just get new coats and such" he said gently. "It'll be fine."

"I know it will be."

After that, Balto glanced outside... the trees had shed their leaves weeks ago, the ground was almost browner, and the air was chilly, as if it knew what was coming next. His wolf instincts told him as much too, that winter would come upon them, hard and fast; they're be almost no warning. Their neighbors knew that much from experience: one hour, normal, and then maybe the next, a lot of snowfall. A shame his instincts couldn't pin down exactly when it would happen, being so rusty; his first predictions of rain had been considerably off... so yeah.

"Do you think they'll be okay?"

Brought back, he looked at Hana-

-who tilted her head. "I mean, Yuki and Ame" she continued, but gentle, "I never really gave it much thought in the city, because we didn't let them out much. Do I even need to bundle up half-wolf children?"

"Oh" Balto breathed, before gently caressing his wife's cheek, enough to make her blush a little. "Well in all honestly, not too much. Even when in human form, we retain some wolf-like qualities, though how much varies from person to person... I _think_."

"Like you said before: human intestines, even as a wolf?" Hana asked gently.

He nodded. "For wolves, fur is a good insulator; we can dive into deep snow, and barely get a chill" he told her, completely sincere. "I have a feeling our two kids could do the same, only noticing if they'd been exposed for minutes on end."

"Mommy! Daddy! Stop being lazy!"

"Yuki, they were talking. It was probably important."

They jolted- they had indeed been standing there, and they slowly laughed sheepishly - getting called out by your own kids was a little embarrassing, but still a good moment to laugh about. Yuki answered Ame, something about doing both rather than one, but it just made them smile as they went back to their jobs.

"Well, I'm glad I heard that first" Hana admitted, picking up her buckets like nothing happened. "I wondered if that might be the case, but without it, I would've had to wait to confirm my feelings."

"That's what I'm here for" Balto teased a little.

She giggled, but 'pushed' him for his tease, which he chuckled at.

/

 _The next day_

When Hana woke, she had the sensation of someone gripping her arm a little- with small hands.

Slowly opening her eyes, Hana found Yuki by her side, looking like she'd just woke up too. "Mommy?" her daughter asked, the excitement in her eyes pushing the sleep away. "Mommy?"

Hana rubbed her eyes a bit, lifting her head. "Yes, Yuki?"

"The windows" she breathed, pointing.

Looking over, Hana made a sound once she understood what Yuki saw - the windows of the sliding doors were frosted over, near impossible to see out of. Even as she digested this, Balto slowly stirred beside her at the sounds, moving a bit... only to be confused by the sleeping Ame on his chest; how had he gotten there?

About a minute later though, Ame was (blearily) up too, because Balto had to sit upright. "Wha- what's going on, mommy?" their son breathed, rubbing at his eyes, before giving off a big yawn.

"We're about to find out, Ame" Hana said gently, pointing at the windows. "Go on, you and Yuki go see; we'll be right behind you."

Very tentatively, the kids stepped toward the doors together, leaving her to glance at Balto... he had just finished rubbing his eyes, but he nodded with a small smile. And as promised, they followed behind their kids at the same pace, all of them in pajamas, though her husband still wore the same shirt as yesterday.

Slowly, as a family, the slid the doors open-

-and all four of them breathed out!

"It snnoowwwwwwwed!" Yuki cheered at the top of her lungs, laughing- that about summed it up.

"Look at it, daddy!" Ame breathed in wonder, not even shy.

Then Yuki jumped and, yelling, landed flat into the snow - it only slowed her for a second before she popped onto her back, squealing/giggling and moving like a maniac. Her excitement was so high she flipped herself over and over, turning her snow angle print into a continuously-copied one, Hana just laughing at her daughter's excitement. She felt every decibel, but also watched as Ame waded into the snow without any hesitation, seeing Balto looking a little proud of their son's courage. There was a little worry when he fell forward, but Ame lifted his head, shaking the snow off- he was fine, just fine, hehe.

Beside her husband, Hana took in a deep breath, big grin as she stepped back a bit... then full-on jumped in herself!

The kids were really surprised, especially when she landed 'over' them, only just registering the cold as they made 'Mmmmmmmm' noises. Then they completely flipped over, Yuki and Ame in her arms, all three of them laughing hard, having the time of their lives!

It was infectious: Balto laughed too, before he backed up-

"You like that?"

They only stopped laughing after two more seconds - it took that long to register.

"Well then" his voice came from inside, "Let's see how you like this!"

-they gasped when he jumped out the door, in full wolf form.

"Incoming!"

He basically landed on them, just off-center yet hard enough for them to squeak, her included! The kids squirmed underneath his fur, still laughing (they could physically feel both sensations), before they slipped out as wolves. Suddenly, Hana wrapped her arms around Balto and flipped them, laughing with the biggest grin imaginable. He only just began to grin back before snow pelted both of them, she squeaking, before seeing the culprit: Yuki, human, trying-and-failing to contain her giggles. Hana crawled off her husband and (laughing) returned fire, making Yuki squeal as she ran, and she gave chase! Yuki was still the speed demon, but she saw Balto get up + change back, before being pelted by Ame - he just grinned and threw a few snowballs himself.

"Ahahaheeeee!" Yuki cheered, running fast. "You can't get me, mommy!"

"We'll see about that!"

Something splattered to her right; looks like Balto missed, but Ame laughed as he packed more snow, her husband no doubt doing the same!

"Gotcha!"

"AHH! Ahaheheee!"

Yuki squirmed under her grip, but laughing, just as she was, snow flying everywhere - the process threw them into the snow again.

"Told you I could catch you, Yuki!" Hana teased, both of them turning over repeatedly.

"I said 'get me', mommy!" the little girl cheered, before slipping away, despite her near-catch again. "I got away; that's not 'getting'!"

Hana just laughed, before another wolf child suddenly crawled over her form (to her squeak), trying to get away but slipping in the process!

"Oh, sorry mommy!"

"Watch out!"

Just like that, another (bigger) wolf jumped over her, quickly causing Ame to run... but he didn't get very far, as a squirming wolf pup in his father's mouth showed. Despite that, Balto just laughed and put him down gently, Ame quickly running again.

"Oooo! That looks like fun too!"

Hana just laughed again. "Then go right ahead, Yuki!"

* * *

The kids' joy + laughter at it having snowed, with wide open spaces to appreciate this completely, continued long after that snowball fight. They still had a ton of energy to pull off, and the front yard wasn't cutting it anymore, what with literally jumping around (especially Yuki). So, Hana put scarfs on the kids + herself, and quickly threw on a winter coat over her pajamas along with shoes, while he didn't change at all. Now though, Balto felt he was gonna enjoy this, so he told Yuki and Ame it was a race, so go nuts and have fun... which of course, they took him at his word.

"Ahahaaahahaaa!"

"Heheeaaah!"

Yuki and Ame raced ahead of him on two feet, going as fast as they could, and he could tell they were open-mouthed grinning their heads off. He was too pretty much, and he looked back at Hana, who trailed just beside him; she saw his gaze and grinned, laughing.

It was filling her heart up just as much as his; the effort involved didn't matter.

"Wahooo!"

They looked ahead: Yuki had done some sort of cartwheel going down a small hill, before she landed on the ground in wolf form (still running). Her dress pretty much slipped right off, and only the scarf remained attached, but the dress was quickly coming up on them.

Quickly, without breaking stride, Balto snatched it off the ground as he ran.

"Here."

So he said cheerfully, giving it to Hana, and she still wasn't out of breath, keeping up.

It wasn't long before Ame was up next, flipping + transforming too, but laughing too - strangely, his overly-big shirt stayed on a lot longer than Yuki's dress had. It still slipped off at one point, Hana picking it up this time, but they enjoyed a beautiful sight ahead of them: their wolf children racing together across the snowy landscape, fully happy and at ease with their instincts.

It made him grin, a sentiment Hana shared, but she gave him a nod.

Like that, Balto ran even faster, relying on his breathing to keep going... only once he was a good distance ahead of Hana did he transform, running on all fours now. His pants slipped off just like 'that', but the shirt managed to stay, and a glance back was all he needed to see Hana picking that up too. Soon after that, scent told him they were heading to an open space, and then the kids 'disappeared' over the crest of this big hill. He soon came up to that same hill, passing it and the trees before everything opened up into a wide expanse, the hill dropping steeply before him.

It was that kind of moment; one of the most beautiful things you ever see, yet lasts only in that moment.

He'd barely skidded to a stop, taking a moment to catch his breath several times, before he saw Yuki + Ame - they were still running down the hill, but the angle turned it into sliding, almost pseudo-skiing. Even from here, he could see the kids were delighted, and they tried quite a few tricks; Balto was pretty sure he saw Yuki do a backflip in mid-air during one jump.

He chuckled, hearing Hana soon catching up behind him to the top, but he went down the hill himself then! Going down was a rush, and he felt both in control and not, even when he looked back- ah, Hana!

"Wooooaaaaahahaha!" she exclaimed, first in response to the tumbling, then finally to the sorta-sliding she'd managed. "I'm fine! I'm fine!" she assured, almost caught up to him now, still grinning.

"Well then, let's see if you can keep up!" he called over, laughing again, getting closer to their children. Both kids were still laughing when they saw them, even happier when they caught up - the snow, the sensations, the love; it was perfect!

They only stopped halfway down, when their sliding finally slowed down enough, with Yuki and Ame first-

 _ARH-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

-his feelings at their peak, Balto fully joined in - Hana gave it her best shot, with a 'howl' of pure happiness.

Their combined howls long echoed long into the sky, and all four of them just landed in the snow, panting heavily. Vaguely, among all the adrenaline going through his veins, he felt his head upon Hana's legs, a warm and soft presence. Some unconscious sense told him their children were nearby too, Yuki on their left, and Ame on the right, both human again (just as he was). Then Yuki started laughing, purely happy, as Ame was when he started laughing... it wasn't long before Hana shook, laughing too... even he couldn't stop it if he'd tried, his laughter mixing with their own.

It was the best feeling ever.

...

If only he'd known though...

After getting him dressed again, Hana went with him as they moved through the forest, but Yuki and Ame had said they wanted to stay as wolves a little longer.

"Aren't you cold, Hana?" Balto breathed, holding her hand, hearing their children running across the snow - vaguely, the sounds of the river too, but he unconsciously tuned that out. "I mean, you don't have our fur-insulation-"

"I'm just fine" his wife whispered softly, happily content. "Today, with all our children's laughter, their happiness, and yours included - it's like someone's lit a fire in my chest" she continued, free hand over her heart. "I feel the cold, but it doesn't bother me at all."

He smiled, squeezing her hand. "Well, I'm just glad you're happy too" he whispered back, stopping right there.

Hana smiled back as well; words weren't necessary for what she felt.

Balto opened his mouth to say something more-

"Dad!"

They jolted, looking back-

"Mom! Come quick! Ame fell in!"

It was like time stopped: the shock tore everything away, and though his heart beat impossibly fast, it felt was like nothing was there at all. His blood turned as icy as the snow, and images flashed through: the city, his slipping into the river, the thrashing about-

No- NO!

Hana had been the first to move: "Ame!" she breathed, weak, before desperate, "Ame, I'm coming!"

He ran past her in full-on wolf form- nothing else mattered but getting there!

Yuki was at the bank's edge, frantic: "Ame!" she cried, half-intent on jumping-

"Stay back!"

The yell had been one of desperation; he didn't want his daughter anywhere near that river! He barely registered her scramble to move, to get out of his way, but he skidded just to the edge! For a tiny split-second that felt like an eternity, the images burst again behind his eyes, making him unable to move... then Balto spotted him: Ame, underneath the water, human, barely flailing.

His vision tunneled... he never remembered jumping in that day...

Even with wolf fur, the cold water hit him with a huge shock, yet still he fought. Somehow he made strides through the water, and got his claw around his son's back- desperate, he lunged toward the surface. His muzzle broke the surface, him gasping, before he hooked his other claw into the bank; the effort nearly dislocated his arm, but he hung on! With strength beyond him, he threw his son onto the snowy bank, as far from the river as possible! Then he literally clawed himself out of there, a panting, shivering mess when he finally collapsed.

"Ame!" - "Ah, oh my god!"

The adrenaline and his 'experience shock' competing, he could barely raise his head- Ame was blue from cold, eyes closed, not breathing. The boy was in Hana's arms, Yuki beside her in shell-shocked fear + horror, trying to shake Ame awake.

He couldn't think... he felt numb all over... it was like a nightmare, and he couldn't move or speak.

"Open your eyes, Ame! Just open your eyes! Ame! No, my baby! *sobbing* Open your eyes! Ameee!"

"...mommy, you're squishing me..."

"Ame!" Balto croaked- ohh, even that effort took it out of him... he barely noticed that Hana yelled it too; all that mattered was his son.

Ame was subdued, but strangely happy. "You know what?" he whispered, barely audible. "I saw a crested king fish mommy, daddy, and it's feathers were so pretty - I felt really good today, like, maybe I could catch it like daddy does. I wasn't scared, because I felt like I could do anything... so I crept up on it, and it didn't even hear me, because I was a wolf, and I caught it" Ame continued, a little proud-

-then he jolted; Hana was in tears, mouth trembling. "Why are you crying?"

She just started to shake even more.

Not noticing this yet, Ame slowly turned his head. "Daddy... how come you're all wet?" he wondered.

Balto tried to answer, but his mouth wouldn't work, and his vision started to blur in-and-out from tears...

Ame was okay... he was okay! He was okay!

"Why am I wet too?" Ame breathed, confused, looking around them. "Huh? Yuki?"

Hana just started sobbing, shaking as she held Ame even tighter-

-but she was alone; Yuki remained at a small distance, her legs shuddering, unable to move.

Those thoughts gave him a little strength... "Yuki" Balto croaked again, trying (and failing) to crawl forward, to get to his family. "Help me..."

It didn't take much for Yuki to help him up, bit-by-bit - eventually, the four of them just curled together, equally shaking.

/

Hana would never know how long they stayed there - minutes, hours; it didn't matter. All she could think about was Ame, whom she carried in her arms, never once letting go... she did later remember Balto carrying Yuki on his shoulders, and how his hand never left her back (as she held Ame), but it was vague. She wasn't ever sure if anyone spoke the entire trip home... maybe they did, but her own throat had closed up entirely. The hot tears kept flowing on and off, but she barely noticed- Ame was still here with them!

Only once they got home did the daze start to fade... the fragile state of mind remained though.

For a long while, they just stood on the open welcome mat - Balto slowly put Yuki down, but their daughter didn't let go of his leg after that. In her arms, Ame had fallen asleep, breathing soft and steady-

-Hana trembled, brushing her fingers through his hair.

"H- Hana?"

She didn't answer... then a hand slowly, shakily touched hers.

"Hana?"

"...w-what?" she mumbled, not looking away.

"Please... I'll lay Ame down in bed; he's not going anywhere."

Hana couldn't even respond, so when he slowly (carefully) worked her grip off their son, she half-resisted and half let him - it took minutes before he extracted Ame, she giving a little gasp, even as Balto let out a long, shuddering breath. Still in a daze, she watched as he took their son to bed, after getting his leg free from Yuki... his grip on Ame was just as tight as hers had been.

She only jolted after Yuki hugged her leg tightly- but her daughter was tired too. "Mommy" Yuki whispered sadly, fainter, eyes drooping repeatedly. "Ame's okay, right?"

"Yeah... he's okay."

Hana wasn't sure who needed to hear that more, to let it sink in; herself or Yuki.

"G-Good... mmh..."

Yuki slid down against her leg, and that brought Hana out of it- quickly, she picked Yuki up, feeling tears come again. Things seemed to go by in another daze, her bringing Yuki to bed too, right beside Ame (who Balto wouldn't move away from).

They must have spent the next few minutes staring at their children, listening to their steady breathing.

They were fine... they were fine!

Slowly, she crawled over to Balto, who pulled her in before she got halfway- she just shook against him, his grip tight.

"Balto-"

"Hana-"

A little sound, adjusting her grip + still breathing heavy, just resting against his neck.

Neither of them slept that night... not for a long while anyway...

* * *

 **Just like the movie, a beautiful moment suddenly turns into one of horror... though, a little more in this case, with the understandable flashback trauma (and adrenaline clashing with this)...**

 **Yet either way, that winter is the turning point.**


	13. Nature Center

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

It seemed like nothing was the same after that day... Ame changed, growing from timid to more confident, and his interests changed accordingly.

...

Hana stirred, feeling heavy... whatever she was laying against felt warm, but it moved...

Slowly opening her eyes, she saw Balto hovering over her, upside-down in her vision - his appearance was slightly more rugged, eyes having tiny rings around them.

"Morning" he breathed, tone faint.

Hana slowly blinked, before she gasped, sitting up- it made her uneasy, but she brushed that off, looking around quickly! Yuki and Ame lay asleep, just where they'd left them, and the latter curled a bit more. Holding a hand to her heart, Hana just felt exhaustedly relieved... she made a sound as Balto's arms wrapped around her waist, before leaning against him, taking what comfort she could.

"They're safe, Hana" he whispered, shaky as well. "I stayed up all night, making sure of that... I-I felt I needed to, you know?"

She hitched, looking around. "A-All night?" she breathed, worried for him (despite fully understanding). "Why?"

"Because it felt like my heart stopped, Hana-"

Her grip tightened.

"-and after that, it was on overdrive; I was _never_ gonna get to sleep" Balto breathed, even fainter, though he stayed close. "Plus my arm still twinges-"

"Where?"

"Right up here."

Breathing out, Hana carefully (gently) brushed her fingers over the skin, trying to go for little massaging motions when he jolted. "Is it bad?" she asked, finding the motions helped too, giving her something to focus on. "Oh, you're tense."

"No, it's not bad" he assured, though he was breathing heavier. "I'll probably need to rest the muscles, is all. But it's something... it was the same arm too..."

At first she didn't comprehend, until she flashed back to their apartment... Balto coming home, completely drenched...

Her grip tightened even more, before she forcibly relaxed it again.

It's okay- it's okay; he's fine, and he'll remain fine - so will Ame and Yuki, no matter what happens.

"How did I fall asleep though?" Hana wondered, still working to ease his shoulder muscles.

"I kinda, uh, massaged a few of your good spots, without you noticing" he breathed, his shoulder moving under her touch. "I guess it gradually slowed you down, and then you collapsed, before I covered you up."

Hana made a sound, feeling warmer, just a little. "You shouldn't have stayed up alone, Balto" she told him, slowly kissing his shoulder. "I would have helped you."

"I know you would've, Hana" Balto assured, gentler. "That's why I didn't let you. You're strong, and always will be, but you don't have to do everything."

His fingers turned her head, putting her face-to-face with him, inches away. His breathing (and hers) were heavier, and she saw the lingering traces of fear, shock, and sadness... but he still had a little smile, if shaky.

"After all, I'm here for you" he breathed.

That made her feel so much, and she kissed him, wanting to express it all- he returned it best he could.

"I'm here for you too, Balto" Hana whispered, somewhere in it all; it was helping more than she could understand. "Don't forget that."

"I never have, and I never will."

"Good. Because now it'll be my turn" she whispered in his ear, he moving a little. "I'll do a bunch of things for you, so you don't strain your shoulder today" she continued, "I know you'll be fine, but I insist."

In answer, Balto just hugged her tighter, and she returned it.

/

 _Months later_

 _End of winter_

Some of the snow still hadn't melted, but it was definitely warming up - just in time for them, as they'd managed to recover. At the same time, Yuki finally convinced them to have her start preschool, to the little girl's never-ending delight. Though there was one condition, the obvious 'don't turn into a wolf, no matter what', to which she promised. To help her through things, Hana then gave Yuki a little chant, which the girl practiced all that night - Balto heard her whisper it under the covers at bedtime, before giggling with excitement. It was sweet music to his ears, even as Yuki continued to chant it to the bus stop, at the stop, and during the ride to school ("I'm gonna be a little girl, all the way home!").

He slowly made a sound, adjusting his 'dress shirt'; just a good thing he wasn't required to wear a tie.

"You okay over there?" Hana teased, similarly dressed up.

He breathed out, sheepish. "Oh, you know me" he answered, forcing his hands down. "I'm accustomed to looser clothing, not this kind of stuff - I'll survive of course, but I'll be glad to get out of it too."

His wife just laughed a little - beside them, Ame looked out the window, curious about the ongoing landscape. Yuki, of course, was jumping up and down on the opposite side's seat, looking out at the window + the picture of excitement, still going on with her chant.

"You'll do fine, I'm sure" Hana said gently, taking his hand. "This will just be a 'welcome back' speech, mainly."

"That's not what I'm thinking about" Balto admitted, before glancing at Yuki. "All her life, Yuki's never been around a lot of people - do you think it'll be overwhelming to her?"

Hana glanced over, but turned back with a little smile. "Maybe at first, but she'll adjust" she answered, "She's a talented little bundle of energy; she'll make friends easily."

"I know that-"

"-as do I."

...

As it turned out, Balto had a similar issue, being around so many people... though not so much the initial shock, as he and Hana soon got over that. It was more that, due to this being a typical gym (converted into a makeshift auditorium, with chairs and such) where sound echoed loudly + in every direction, the many sounds of numerous kids was a bit _overwhelming_ to his wolf hearing.

Luckily, a little focus tuned his instincts down, leaving him with 'only' human hearing - loud, echoing, but still manageable.

"Oh wow" Yuki breathed, wondering, yet not with her usual cheer; she had a lot of nervousness.

Balto glanced at Hana, who slowly nodded; just as they thought.

"Yuki, it's okay" she said gently, getting down to eye level. "These are kids just like yourself - you'll be fine among them."

"I-I know that! I wanted to come to school here!"

His daughter was sincere, but it didn't disguise the nervousness, as her anticipation now began to wonder how she'd handle being around so many kids. Even as Hana answered this, Ame stayed close to his leg, no doubt just as overwhelmed by the crowds as his sister was.

"It'll be okay, Ame" he assured.

Without even looking, Ame nodded, though he remained overwhelmed (understandably)... but underneath that, his son wasn't afraid anymore. Balto still couldn't get over how much Ame had changed; he wondered if that was a parent thing.

Anyway, of course things were called to order soon - parents sat in their seats, the kids were herded to theirs in the front, Yuki included. He and Hana sat together, Ame in his lap and staying there, while of course an official faculty member gave that 'welcome back' speech. Balto admitted he heard every word, but for the most part, he just observed the back of his daughter's head, the reality beginning to sink in. His little girl was going to preschool now, and would every weekday, leaving the house slightly more empty than it normally was... he already thought it'd be quieter. Ame was by no means silent, but his sister was the louder one, definite-

-he tilted his head; Yuki looked back at them, worried.

Hana was quick to wave 'Hi', no doubt with silent encouragement + her usual smile - he did his best to support that too.

Balto didn't think it assured her entirely, but Yuki did turn back to face the front...

Well, not too surprising: this entire situation was overwhelming for her, and it was natural to be nervous.

/

 _A few days later_

Yuki didn't stay nervous for long though.

"Hehe!" the little girl raced, pulling on her backpack, running through the house before she paused in front of them (seated by the table). "Good morning!" she cheered with a proud little grin, before she was edging toward the open welcome mat. "Mommy, daddy, see you later!"

"Bye, Yuki; be good" Hana called, with her husband adding "And have fun."

"I will!" Yuki cheered again, only remaining long enough to say that before she ran off, like the speed demon she was.

After that, the two of them chuckled, Balto sipping his drink across from her. "Well, she's adjusted fast" he noted, pretty mild.

She hummed, taking a sip too. "I have little doubt it's because the excitement never ran out" she answered, "She was nervous, but now that's gone away some - I've even heard her talk about a 'Shino', no doubt a friend."

"Yeah, I've heard that name too. Also something that might've been 'Shino has other friends too'."

"Oh that's great" Hana breathed, feeling warmer. "Yuki's gonna be so excited to make even more friends."

Balto just gave a little smile, which said it all as he took another sip.

"I just wonder what subjects Yuki will be good at" she continued, looking up a bit. "I realize it's only been a few days, yet still."

"Well, I know one already, though it's not _exactly_ a subject" her husband added, almost teasing. "Athletics."

Hana made a sound. "You mean sports?"

"Sports, a hundred-foot-dash, even something as simple as a friendly race" Balto admitted, looking at her. "Even if Yuki doesn't transform into a wolf, she's still got a wolf's muscles + breath control in some capacity, and the experience in using it."

At that, she laughed, imaging it already in her head. "Yes, you're right" Hana breathed, seeing Yuki in (possible) races in gym class, outclassing all but a few, but still possibly winning and taking first place - a little much, but a nice moment. "Yuki will probably receive little but cheer for that, especially from her friends."

"No complaints here" he answered, completely sincere.

That made her feel warm, and she showed it with a smile- Balto softened a bit, just looking back. Then nearly at the same time, they reached for each other's hands, intertwining their fingers...

"Sounds like Ame's awake now" he noted after some time, glancing further into the house.

Trusting his wolf hearing, Hana merely leaned over and kissed him- they enjoyed it for a moment, before going back to how they were before.

* * *

During their studies at the village's town center, Balto found Ame engrossed in one flier in particular, because he'd noted the wolf in the picture. A quick read revealed it was about the 'Nekowan Nature Center', which supported a wide range of various techniques to preserve nature of all kinds, plants and animals included. He liked the place already for that, but he was surprised they were caring for an actual wolf in there... it made him feel strange, as he'd never encountered another one (half-human or otherwise) outside his family. He wasn't even sure how this one was going to react to him, or Ame-

"Hey, what are you looking at?" Hana asked, having noted their standing around.

"Just this" Balto breathed, stepping aside a bit, letting her lean forward-

-she was interested almost right away. "We could learn a lot there, including some new techniques for our plantings" Hana admitted, smiling at the thought.

"And we can see the wolf" Ame added, tugging his arm as he said it. "I wanna see it too."

He glanced at Hana, trying to express 'how can we think of saying no now?', if playful about it - her little smile probably caught that, yet her nod was all for it.

So, one trip later, they found themselves among an in-progress tour group.

"Welcome to the Nekowan Nature Center - I'm Tendo, one of the nature conservationists on staff."

"Good morning, Mr. Tendo."

And thus the tour conducted - they walked down paths, but just as often, they would go into more wild sections. One part had sections roped off, kinda, where they explained they were testing new ways to ensue plants wouldn't be taken over by faster-growing weeds. Not only making sure nature grew well in places, didn't overgrow in others, get taken over, etc... workers made sure to explain how to spot weeds, and to always pull them up by the roots. But even that was only a section of their work - as explained, they did a lot of jobs, so they needed to be jack-of-all-trades _and_ specialists by nature, no pun intended.

Hana wrote this stuff down, as he did carefully - though he inched closer during one section. "I think I already know what you're gonna say" he whispered, Hana looking up. "That this place would be a nice one to work in."

She gave a teasing smile. "You don't sound like you can disagree."

He shrugged in answer. "Not really; it is appealing, as I like nature of course" he answered gently, glancing at the group. "Plus the job board said they were looking for assistants; you thinking about it?"

"More than that really, now that you mention it."

"Why am I not surprised?" he teased back.

Hana just laughed, but it made him smile.

...

"Look, we can definitely use assistants; if that weren't the case, we wouldn't have posted that job opening."

Hana smiled, squeezing Balto's hand under the table - on her husband's lap, Ame looked around the room.

"And I'd be more than happy to bring you both on" Mr. Tendo continued, looking at their papers. "Honestly, we keep this place on a shoestring budget - that said, we can cover your training expenses if you decide to become conservationists. But that amount isn't very much at all; a high-schooler with a part-time job would make more than either of you here. But despite knowing all that, do you two still want the jobs?"

For a moment, she glanced at Balto- he nodded, but Ame seemed to be losing patience.

Not that she was surprised; it would be the first time seeing a wolf, outside of books + their own family.

Hana looked at Mr. Tendo. "I believe we would, thank you" she said gently. "However, we're curious. We heard you were caring for a wolf here at the sanctuary?"

"Ah, indeed we are; do you want to see it?"

"Yes please" Ame spoke, surprising them all- their son barely noticed, subtly intent.

Mr. Tendo chuckled that off, standing up. "All right then. Follow me."

So they did, Ame insisting on walking ahead of them both, but thankfully not too far - Tendo soon led them past the main entrance, and through several of the 'Employees Only' doors, until-

Hana jolted, as did Balto.

-there in a caged environment, sat a grey timber wolf with amber eyes. The place had several doors (a few of which were actually 'holes' in the wall, to move into different areas), but the space involved didn't look big enough, and neither did the wolf move much. The main area had this single security camera behind them, rotating on a regular pattern, able to see them but not hear. Hana glanced at her husband, who seemed to feel strange too, but in a different way- Ame just looked at the wolf intently, trying to figure something out.

"This is our timber wolf" Tendo whispered.

"He's every quiet" Hana breathed.

"She."

Surprised, she looked at Balto (as did Mr. Tendo). "You can tell by the subtle differences" he explained gently, looking at her, "This one is slimmer, with a narrower muzzle and forehead; the fur on the legs is smoother, and shorter; and the shoulders are less massive - all point to her as female."

Slightly amazed, Hana just slowly put up a sheepish smile; oh, well, now she knows.

"Woah" Tendo breathed, impressed. "I didn't realize you knew so much about wolves, to be able to tell that at a glance, sir."

"I-I've always been curious about them... heh."

At that moment, Tendo got a call for something, so he excused himself a moment... soon they were alone with the wolf, who still hadn't sniffed them out, or was inclined to react much.

Hana found that very worrisome. "Is something wrong with her?" she whispered, looking at Balto, while Ame slowly touched his hands to the bars. "Why isn't she moving around or anything? Can't you ask her?"

Balto slowly blinked several times... "I've uh- I've never had the opportunity to meet another full wolf" he slowly admitted, rubbing his head. "I don't know if we could understand each other, you know, without howls or things like that- and plus, I don't have the time to try, thanks to Tendo."

"Mmh, I see."

"But I promise I'll try, if I get the chance."

"You'd better, dad."

Really surprised now, they looked at Ame (who still continued to look at the wolf intently)... then at each other. It had been only months, but still, Ame was so different than before; they weren't used to this new confidence of his.

Balto then touched her shoulder; Hana smiled a little, touching his hand back - well, they would get used to it, and it could do Ame good too.

/

 _Nighttime_

Riding the bus felt so soothing, even with the bumps, but Balto glanced at Ame (who was looking ahead). His son must still be thinking about the wolf, probably in comparison to his own experiences - he understood that feeling, as he shared in it, not having as much time as he'd have liked with his own family.

"We're gonna go to that place a lot from now on" Hana spoke softly, directed at their son. "You'll be okay coming with us, won't you?"

Ame slowly nodded. "Yeah."

"We're gonna learn all the things about nature that we can" she continued. "Then we'll go home, and teach them to you."

Ame made a sound, before he blinked. "I'd never seen one before, aside from dad and Yuki" he whispered.

Balto slowly sat up straighter, even as Hana asked "What, a wolf?"

"Yeah" Ame breathed, looking over. "Dad, she acted so different from you... are they all like that?"

He blinked, before shaking his head. "No, I don't think so son" he spoke gently. "That wolf was born in captivity, rather than in the wild- animals tend to act differently between the two. No doubt a female wolf from the wild would be a lot more active, even aggressive."

"I'm glad" Ame whispered, before looking down. "That wolf's eyes were sad. I don't think captivity is good for wolves."

That statement- between Hana and him, Balto wasn't sure who was more 'unsure', that Ame just said that... or that they didn't have an easy answer for him.

"Ame."

His son slowly looked at him, as did Hana, with her eyes only.

His mouth twitched a little. "Maybe the wolf's eyes are sad" he spoke, fainter. "But remember son; that wolf was a beloved pet of a wealthy man, who must have loved her. When he died, only that nature sanctuary was kind enough to take her in; you should remember that, okay?"

Ame looked at him a few seconds, then forward, at the back of the seat in front of them- that was all the reaction he gave.

Balto worried inside; had he said that right? Was that even the right thing to say? What was Ame thinking?

The hand holding his tightened, but Hana's other one joined her; her look told him she wasn't sure either about Ame's reaction, but she slowly nodded. He let out a little breath, leaning closer to her, which she had no issues with- their hands continued to lightly caress each others'.

...

 _Later that night_

Hana slowly leaned against the wall, glancing outside, seeing most of the snow had disappeared; soon it would truly be spring, and they could start growing crops again. But for now, she had two children asleep, both of whom seemed to start growing into their older mindsets - Ame's was more confident, yet still reserved, while Yuki remained as cheerful as ever, but that might begin to change too.

"Hey."

She slowly looked; Balto walked over, leaning against the wall beside her.

"Hey" Hana whispered back, soft.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Mmh; just that our kids are starting to grow again" she breathed, leaning against his arm; it wasn't long before he slipped it around her shoulder. "Not just physically, as that's coming up again, but mentally too; they're learning more about themselves now, and are aware of it too."

"Ame seems to have beaten his sister in that" he noted, glancing at their son, sleeping peacefully. "He's changed, even if he's still figuring stuff out."

"Yeah... I feel proud of him, of course I do, but how long am I supposed to be surprised by it?" Hana wondered, sliding even closer; Balto didn't mind. "For five years, he's been this shy little boy, and now suddenly he's not."

"I know that feeling well" he whispered, before breathing out. "But, I don't think there's any 'set' time on how long it takes to adjust; just as long as we work with it."

"We have been."

"I know; you just said how proud you were."

Hana hummed. "So I guess, despite not being adjusted yet, we're doing fine" she whispered, even softer.

Balto leaned even closer to her, "Agreed."

* * *

 **And now school's started, for Yuki thus far - the nature conservation job angle included on that.**

 **I also realize in the movie, the captivity wolf was referred to as 'he' - but, this fic is already an AU retelling with our Wolfman still alive, so another little detail isn't that much to change. Those wondering at why, well, there'll be hints later on about that**


	14. School Tales

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

School went well for Yuki in the days/weeks that followed... except for one speed bump:

Balto tried to hold in his laughter, he really did, yet losing - beside him, Yuki slumped in slight despair over the issue, until she actually noticed his reaction. "Grr, don't laugh at me, daddy!" she demanded, pounding the table a little. "I am in the middle of a crisis!"

Struggling a bit, he thought that if Hana were here right now, Yuki would have chosen her over him for this issue (understandably) - as it was, Hana was out in the village after work, and he'd have to do. "So, the other girls don't like snakes and collecting bones" he told her, slightly amused, but gentle. "That doesn't mean you have to stop liking them."

"But that's only me who likes them" Yuki continued to sulk, pulling her drink toward herself. "Everyone else is just scared of them, and me now."

"Oh come on, I'm sure-"

"They are! They've run away screaming twice now!"

Balto slowly rubbed his head, feeling a little sheepish. "Probably because they weren't expecting that, and they're still little girls. They haven't seen such things before" he explained gently.

"Mmh" Yuki breathed, looking sadder. "Which is the point... I dunno what it's like to be a normal girl... I-I don't wanna drive my friends away."

Oh Yuki-

"Not to mention, a lot of them wear dresses sometimes..."

Hmm? He blinked a little, before he saw Yuki get an idea.

"Yeah, that might be it!" she cheered a little, looking at him. "I'll have mommy sew me a dress! That'll help me fit in with the other girls, making them forget about their running away screaming! Right!?"

For a moment, a ton went through his head... which could be simplified as heavy thinking about this subject. He wanted to say 'be yourself', but the issue was, it wasn't that simple whatsoever: Yuki couldn't fully be herself, as she had a half-wolf heritage that many of the world would not accept so easily, which _would_ come up. And if he said it anyway, she'd also point out (now or eventually) the other obvious flaw in that logic, by saying _he_ couldn't be himself to the world either, due to the same angle. He didn't want to give off such a bad impression or implications - maybe Hana could state 'be yourself' without trouble, but she'd have to be careful with it too. Not to mention the obvious 'Japan is about conformity' angle that underlies everything, but how he is supposed to explain that as a _good_ thing - the reality, sure, but good?

After all, Yuki's still only six... nuances about reality + grey areas didn't quite mix with that young viewpoint sometimes...

"Well" Balto breathed, partly to get himself back, "I believe it might help, Yuki. But there's one thing I wonder."

"Hmm?"

"Are you doing this to fit in, or because you want to?"

Yuki jolted, confused. "What- what do you mean, daddy?"

He gave off a little smile, as gentle as possible. "Think hard about the reason why, Yuki" he breathed to her. "That's all I'm saying. If you're changing yourself just because you want to fit in with your friends- well, that's a little bad reason. If you're changing yourself because _you_ want to, because you're curious about what it's like to be a regular girl, that's a better reason."

Yuki looked at him, though her gaze seemed to go off into space - probably trying to make sense of his reasons, as much as a six-year-old can anyway.

"Well, I wanna try that dress out" Yuki answered, determined. "I want to see what it's like, daddy; that's good, right?"

Balto hummed, seeing that she was set. "Yes, Yuki" he finished, hoping his reasons helped, even a little. "I wish you luck."

Her determination softened a little, and she smiled. "Thanks, daddy."

...

Hana slowly hummed (one of Balto's tunes), at the sewing machine, with a very curious Yuki watching every strand being placed - it was amazing how intent she was, to watch something this mundane with curious excitement. Still, even as she worked on instinct (having experience with smaller things), her mind kept going over what happened:

 _"Our little girl wants you to make a dress for her, Hana" Balto whispered to her, as soon as he'd gotten Yuki to leave - he'd even stopped their daughter from asking a question, till after he'd talked with her._

 _She was understandably confused. "Why's that?"_

 _For the next minute, he continued to whisper in her ear what happened- despite herself, Hana giggled a little. Balto had a little reaction that said he understood, but his words continued anyway, "Yuki's determined about this" he breathed, rubbing her back a little. "She doesn't believe being herself is working with the other girls now."_

 _"But, didn't you tell her to be herself, Balto?"_

 _"It wasn't that simple, Hana, because of my wolf form."_

 _Despite every part of her believing his wolf form was fine, perfect even, the rest of her trembled a bit- oh Yuki. She may be six years old, but she'd still remember how daddy couldn't 'be himself' around other people, and neither she nor Ame were allowed to be either... maybe not the full nuances, yet still._

 _"Still" he breathed, more gentle. "That just means I can't 'outright' state 'be yourself'; I have to be more careful in my wording. I told Yuki to think hard about why she was doing this, urging her to do so for a good reason, rather than just to fit in - with luck, it'll nudge her toward being herself when she's older, and she understands the nuances better."_

 _"So" Hana whispered slowly, looking at him. "I can't tell her to be herself either?"_

 _Balto just kissed her cheek, making her feel warmer. "You can; I'm only saying you need to be careful, Hana" he assured, with a little smile, "Just make sure to nudge Yuki into good reasons for what she does, and keep it up. When she's older, learned the nuances of this world, it should make a good base to make being herself easier. Maybe not 'easy' in general, but easier."_

 _"I hope it's enough" she breathed, hugging him close._

 _"Me too" he whispered, returning the favor (as well as another kiss on top of her head). "Me too."_

Back in the present, work continued, hands working on instinct even as she sorta-remembered - beside her, Yuki made a sound and went over to the other side; she was truly intent on seeing this through. It brought Hana a smile, deciding that if this was that important to Yuki, then that was all she could ask for her daughter.

"How long will this take, mommy?" Yuki asked, still curiously excited.

"Well, assuming I put every stitch down just right, it should take another hour" Hana answered. "After all, I'm about halfway done."

"I can't wait."

Wasn't often she heard that _without_ the usual impatience; maybe Yuki was growing into her older mindset already, as she'd thought before. "Your dad told me about earlier, Yuki" she continued, Yuki glancing up, "Obviously I agree, or I wouldn't be sewing this dress, but you don't need to give up your hobbies."

Yuki seemed a little sad, glancing back down. "Well, maybe" she breathed, unsure, "But what's the point in having a hobby, if you can't share it?"

Hana slowly smiled. "Hobbies are something we do, because we enjoy them" she assured, Yuki slowly reacting, "Of course it's best if we can share it, but they're still worthwhile, even if we can't."

Her daughter looked off into space, before back at the dress she was sewing. "Well, I don't know anyway, mommy" Yuki said, unsure, "I liked snakes, because they were such fun to hunt, and I collected bones because they were interesting... I-I didn't know not everyone likes that kind of stuff, and now, I dunno."

Hana paused the machine, slowly drawing Yuki's attention, especially after the hug. "You'll figure it out, Yuki" she assured, feeling her daughter hug back instinctively, "If you keep your hobbies or give them up, that's up to you - it's your choice, not anyone else's."

"T-That's sorta like what daddy said."

At that, she just giggled. "I'll take that as a compliment" she teased, Yuki smiling in response, feeling better; that was enough for her. "Now, I should finish this dress for you."

...

The dress seemed to work, as other than a few small things, the previous issue of her friends running away screaming never came up again. Their daughter frequently wore that dress too, even as she cheered 'Have a good day, Mommy, Daddy!' to them, making them smile. Yuki would frequently talk of what happened at dinner too, which they were glad to hear, seeing her so happy to be learning more and more. Though, Hana noticed that while Ame listened, he rarely had any particular interest in school facts and such- that being said, Yuki always said he'd be going too, and he never said anything against that.

With Yuki's school tales, work, and their crops, weeks and months went by - while at work, he noticed Ame spent a lot of time with the wolf. He then told Hana it wasn't that strange, as the wolves were another part of who he was, and despite the 'sad eyes' of this one, he was curious.

She teased that that probably wasn't all of his interest, but she took his advice in stride.

Next thing they knew, a full year had gone by...

"Come on, Ame!" Yuki cheered, way ahead of her brother before she raced back. "We don't wanna be late."

"Yeah, uh, sure."

Watching them, Balto thought he heard Yuki recite her chant to Ame, though she changed it to 'be a little boy' so it would fit. Hana giggled a little beside him, no doubt remembering giving Yuki that chant... he put a hand on her arm, which she touched back, already feeling it to be quieter.

Just ahead of them: "School's this way!"

Hana hummed in response, looking at him, while he just gave a little smile. "He's used to being at the Nature Center with us, I imagine" she said, "Today's gonna be all new to him too."

"Yeah, and an eye-opener" he answered, just as gentle. "He won't have been around that many people, not since the 'welcome back' assembly."

Hana nudged him a bit, but laughing, even as he chuckled. "I'm sure he'll adjust, just like Yuki has" she chided, but he merely rubbed his head. "Mmh... now, come on; we still have to go to work."

"Got ya" he answered easily.

* * *

 _Nekowan Nature Center_

Balto made sure to get everything done, got Hana's nod that it was safe, then he quietly slipped through the wolf's habitat door. While he could have walked in and not looked too suspicious, what he was going to do demanded such measures, as he couldn't be seen like 'that' whatsoever. Working here for a year, they'd learned a lot, such as the exact angles of the security camera's route, precisely what the security room saw, etc during their shifting jobs. Carefully, he moved into the space below the camera, while the she-wolf paid him little attention as usual. He slowly breathed out, getting even lower on his hands+feet, crawling right to the bars-

-if he stayed this far down, they couldn't see him at all on that thing.

Internally, he was just sorry it took this long, to feel confident enough of everyone's placement/schedules/etc to do so without significant risk of being caught.

"Hey" Balto breathed to her.

The she-wolf's ears perked slightly, but she merely gave him the slightest glance, as if asking 'what does he want now'?

He focused carefully...

The moment he started changing, her interest almost exploded, and she even picked her head up. He stopped halfway to becoming a wolf, to cut down on the return transformation, and to keep his instincts from running wild - he remained careful too, keeping his wolf ears flattened.

"Can you understand me?" Balto whispered. "Even a little?"

The she-wolf didn't react, other than standing up slowly; just continued to stare at him.

"If you can, extend your claws."

A long time passed, or it seemed like it anyway...

Very slowly, her claws extended.

He breathed out; she could understand him? He wasn't entirely sure how, or what language he sounded as (human or wolf), but this-!

 _Tap tap_

Balto jolted, changing back quickly as he stood up, adjusting his uniform to make sure it looked normal... some seconds later, Tendo walked in.

"Now then- oh, Balto?"

He put on a sheepish demeanor; wasn't too hard. "Sorry, sir... I just wanted another look at the wolf, and I-I got entranced" he breathed, lowering his head in shame. "I-I'm so sorry, and I'll get back to work now."

"Nah, I understand" the man said knowingly, even as he escorted him out. "There is a charm to wolves in general, so you're not really in trouble; just try to keep it to a minimum, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

Even as he said that though, he subtly caught Hana's eye as they walked out - she was relieved when he quickly nodded, which was a general 'things went fine', and she smiled. Of course she had to return to business at hand, but she'd be waiting for the details after they went home- he couldn't wait to tell her too.

...

 _Later_

"So, did the wolf say anything?"

Balto just glanced at her, making a turn. "No actually" he answered easily, "All I managed to ask was if she could understand me, via extending her claws."

"Let me guess; she did?" Hana asked, slightly playful.

A little chuckle. "Right on" he continued, "I don't know how I sound to her, human or wolf, or how it's possible, but I'm certainly not complaining. I know Ame's gonna perk up when I tell him that tonight."

She touched his shoulder. "But then you'll be at a loss, when he asks the inevitable follow-up questions of 'did she say anything?' she gently reminded. "He's gonna have so many questions he wants answered."

Her husband hummed, glancing upward a bit, before he made another turn; that of the way up the driveway. "Okay, so I'll have to reword that a bit" Balto breathed thoughtfully, half to himself. "About how I've made contact, but wasn't able to ask questions just yet... or something."

Hana just giggled, waiting till the car turned off before she got outside, as did he. "Well, you'll have time to mull it over, dear" she said, moving up the steps as he lingered, before she registered what she just said.

"Dear?" he questioned behind her, surprised. "Well, well."

She slowly turned back - despite the surprise, he had a little smile, if curious about why. Herself though, Hana felt shyer, simply holding her hands behind her back...

"I'm sorry, that just kinda- slipped out a little" she told him, tone soft. "I'm not sure where it even came from all of a sudden."

A moment passed, then Balto came toward her, stopping just short of the steps themselves. The difference in height between the house floor and the ground made her slightly taller than him now, which was a strange feeling (but a good one, she thought). "I'm not opposed to it, Hana" he whispered, taking her hand then, which she squeezed back, "Just that, well it's surprising. After all this time calling each other by name, it's a little strange."

"I didn't say it wasn't."

"Hmm" he breathed, stroking her thumb unconsciously. "So you want us to try?"

With her free hand, she brushed a few bangs out of his eyes, liking his little jolt (though he soon had the smile again). "If you'd be willing, Balto" she told him, stepping closer, just on the edge now. "Though we shouldn't overuse it either."

"Okay, Hana" he said easily, stepping up right beside her, kicking off his shoes to the side. "Then you're my honey."

Despite the warmth, she burst out laughing-

"You asked for that one" he added, completely mild + unapologetic.

She pushed his shoulder for that, still shaking from laughter. "Take this seriously!" she half-whined, but he just hummed innocently, walking further inside. "Hey, get back here!"

...

He had to admit, all of the ways he could've teased Hana, that was one of the most incredibly corny... and yet, it's the first thing to came to mind hehe.

Even now, helping her prepare dinner, he would sneak a little smile sometimes - not to what he'd said, but Hana's reaction to his enjoying himself on that tease; she was almost pouting even. Least she knew that wasn't his style, so he'd be back to taking it seriously after this (and he intended to), but he _was_ too busy enjoying himself right now.

Still, when he came to, he found Hana distracted- by Yuki's laughter, during their talk about Ame's school day.

Well, not surprising; he was interested to hear that too, even if they were still cooking (and keeping their gazes there).

"Come on, Ame, you must be learning."

"I didn't say I wasn't, Yuki."

"So why not tell me what you're learning? Maybe I could help with schoolwork."

"I know you could, but if I don't do it on my own, it won't be fair."

Hana hummed then, getting back to cutting up vegetables + fruit. "Ame's a little particular about his homework" she noted, the knife moving with precision. "Yuki never would have hesitated to ask for help, after first giving her best shot of course."

"Well, both our kids are different" Balto breathed, grilling the meat portions, sniffing them once before adjusting the settings very slightly. "Nothing wrong with that. Oh, and don't wait for me to finish; they can eat your appetizers first."

"Was already planning on it" she answered, getting them onto the plates + bowls.

"Good for you, honey" he replied easily.

She'd taken two steps before she jolted, blinking, turning back toward him- he glanced at her, smiling.

"You said that to make up for your corny first attempt, didn't you?" she questioned, half-pouting.

"A little" he assured.

She bumped his side, making him chuckle at the force - oh Hana - but she relented with a smile. After that, Hana turned again toward the table, setting down the plates for both Yuki and Ame - "Here you two go" she encouraged, Yuki taking hers with enthusiasm ("All right!"), while Ame was more subdued. "Thanks, mom" he breathed, she smiling at that, even as she put down their own plates.

Well, maybe he couldn't see half of that, but he could hear well enough.

"Your dad also has something he wants to tell you, Ame" Hana assured.

He was surprised, as was Yuki, before he almost felt his son's attention. "Is that right, dad?"

"It is" he called over, slightly anyway. "I managed to briefly talk with the nature center's she-wolf."

"You did?" Ame asked, even before Yuki's excited sound. "Did she say anything?"

"It was brief, Ame" Hana said gently, sitting down herself (judging by the small scuffles). "Your father only had enough time to see that the she-wolf understood him - it's gonna take more time before he can ask questions."

Ame seemed a little put off, as there was silence for a few seconds. "Well, if you do ask her anything, I'd like to know mom, dad" he said, before he remembered his forgotten food, and quickly began to eat again.

"It's almost like you're affected by the she-wolf" Yuki teased.

"'Affected?'" Ame asked, blankly confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means you have wolf cooties, Ame!"

"That's not a thing, Yuki."

"It could be though!"

"I've never even said hello; just seen her a bunch of times."

At the table, Hana couldn't keep from giggling- she wasn't the only one, as Balto had to stifle chuckles at this sibling argument (good thing he had the sizzling meat to help there).

/

 _The next day_

Luckily for the kids it was Saturday, so they got to stay home and everything, with the only real 'issue' being that of homework. Beside her, Balto washed his face a second time - he saw her glance, water dripping, but merely shrugged, to which she laughed a little.

"Don't worry, I'll be getting to the fields" he assured, wiping at his face with a towel, "Gotta make sure they're all healthy."

"You do that, but don't take too long" Hana answered, getting a little smile, and a kiss before he moved outside. Soon the only sounds were the wind, along with scribbling paper + writing utensils, making it your average peaceful day.

She didn't mind whatsoever.

"Yuki?"

"Huh?"

Hana looked at the table, where Yuki and Ame sat; her daughter was a little confused, looking up from her homework, while Ame put down his pencil.

"Maybe it's nothing, but I can't really think right now" he continued, before getting a little smile. "I think I'm gonna go clear my head, maybe hunt a little. Wanna come with me?"

Yuki glanced down, before shaking her head. "I don't wanna fall behind with my homework, Ame" she told him.

"You sure?" Ame asked, head tilted. "It would only take a few hours."

"I'm sure" she said, a little more cheerful now. "I'll go hunt with you another time, Ame."

"Okay, if you insist."

Hana smiled, before she stepped forward, "You clear this hunting with me, young man?" she asked mildly, teasing.

Ame slowly rubbed his head, but with a smile. "I was gonna, mom" he breathed, a little sheepish, though that soon faded. "I knew you were there, and I was just saying that to Yuki."

"Well in either case, I'm not opposed, Ame" she answered gently. "Just so long as you don't stay out too late."

"Never" Ame answered, entirely confident.

She smiled, before gesturing out at the fields. "And of course, make sure your father knows" she continued, before teasing, "Though he can probably hear us already."

Ame chuckled, already starting to move. "I'm sure he can; he's got the ears of a wolf" he called back, before running full-tilt. Hana watched him go, feeling her son grow even before her eyes, a hand over her heart... then eventually, she turned toward Yuki, who remained working on homework.

Speaking of which-

 _"That's a little unusual"_ she thought, considering. _"A child prioritizing homework over something fun. And for a wolf child, that just makes it a little more unusual."_

Hmm...

Well, she wasn't entirely sure about the answer, but she was thirsty hehe - and by the time she got it, Balto had come back from checking their crops. When she looked back, he was approaching the table-

-Yuki noticed + brightened when he did. "Hi daddy" she greeted, him nodding as he sat down opposite her, before briefly leaning over.

"What kind of homework, Yuki?"

"Scie-nce."

That got him to chuckle, for a moment (Hana had to struggle not to giggle; father-daughter moment here). "It's pronounced 'sci-ence', Yuki" he corrected gently.

His daughter made a sound, sulking a bit. "I'm always getting that one wrong" she said, a little worried.

"You'll get it, don't worry."

"Thanks" Yuki breathed, a little softer.

Balto glanced outside then, where Ame had run off to, before looking back at Yuki. "I do wonder though" he breathed, drawing Yuki's attention again, "I heard what you said to Ame, if missing a few words. You really care about finishing your homework, rather than wanting to put it off, and go hunting with your brother; not many kids would choose that."

Yuki moved a little, but smiled. "Well, it's important" she answered, looking at her paper. "There's so much I never knew before, and that all my friends are learning."

"I'm not denying that" he acknowledged. "But isn't hunting fun?"

"It is, daddy-"

Internally, Hana thought she heard a flicker in Yuki's voice... and if she saw Balto's slight movement right, he'd heard it too.

"-but being with my friends is also fun, a lot of it too" their daughter continued, cheery as usual. "I don't think learning is fun, but I don't dislike it either."

Balto paused a moment, taking this all in, before he smiled. "Well, keep up the good work, Yuki" he told her, "Just remember that you can have fun with your brother too, via hunting."

"Don't tell me you're encouraging our kids to have fun over homework?" Hana playfully called over, jolting them both.

Balto merely chuckled at her tease. "Not at all" he called back, half-turning; he was smiling. "Just that they can have fun too, rather than merely homework _._ "

"You two are silly" Yuki added, completely cheerful as she looked between them, grinning. "Really silly!"

"Playful's the right word, Yuki" Hana assured, but a hand near her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"Completely teasing as well" Balto added, making their daughter laugh, and her soon to join in.

* * *

 **And so the paths begin, for both Ame + Yuki -** **for the latter though, if they weren't in Japan, she might've actually heard 'be yourself' for real, but different values and such  
**

 **Plus in the movie, school moved ahead whole grades within that small montage, so I could hardly fill that up without slowing the fic down. Still, they are a few good expansions, I think**


	15. Different Paths, Pt 1

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

 _Years later_

Part of Balto knew it had been years, but he still wondered 'where did the time go?', _and_ kept seeing Yuki + Ame as their younger selves, if for a moment on the latter. Hana admitted that she felt the same, but also that it was a joy to watch, which he couldn't disagree with. Yuki had grown quite a bit, still overall cheerful + nice, but considerably less loud now; she seemed to have grown out of that phase. Ame had become taller too, and he retained his reserved-yet-confident air; Hana had teased that it reminded her a lot of someone, while he sheepishly replied Yuki did the same for him.

School went by in that time, of course: Yuki's little 'pack' of friends were still going strong, some drama now and then, but grades were good most of the time. In fact, Yuki admitted that one of her favorite classes was gym, just because she was a natural at running around and such, though she didn't know what sport was a favorite yet. Ame was a little tougher, as he was naturally quiet and reserved, giving the common answers that he's doing fine in general- Balto knew that technique fairly well. As far as Ame's grades, he did more 'average' than Yuki, but still fairly good, even if his son showed little enthusiasm for learning.

Hana thought that odd, but also said not everyone would be into school, which he agreed with, remembering her changing opinion of a school education in the city.

One day however, Ame just stated that he didn't wanna go to school... he wanted to see the she-wolf again, to ask his own questions. Balto quickly saw that Ame was adamant, just from the look in his eyes; nothing was going to sway his son from this-

-so, Balto pulled Hana aside, saying that much.

"He could miss a day" she replied, glancing into the living room. "I can call him in sick, but is this really a good idea?

"Maybe, maybe not, but when I think about it, I don't believe it's that strange" he admitted, surprising her. "Hana, remember that Ame has both human and wolf blood in him - I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that other half-wolves go through _very different_ experiences. Some might go through school without any problems as I did, or like Yuki... others I think, they would be conflicted, caught between their wolf instincts, their love for nature. I think that's what's happening with Ame."

Hana let out a breath, worried but considering this. "Is this- does this mean he prefers being a wolf?" she asked, very tentatively.

"I don't know, Hana" he answered honestly; he'd chosen human, and he'd never had siblings or other half-wolves to judge upon. "Right now, I can't say; merely that he's a little torn between his instincts. But I'm also thinking that, even if Ame does miss parts of school, we can still teach him everything important."

Her smile was a little sad, yet still soft. "We can" she admitted, hanging onto him, "The idea's just a little shocking."

"Mmh" Balto breathed, just holding her. "I hope he doesn't miss school either, but I think we have to be prepared for the possibility. Do you think you could go along with it?

A moment, then Hana slowly nodded. "If there's a good reason for it" she whispered, looking at him, "But you're sure, Balto?"

"I don't exactly like it, but yeah" he whispered back, rubbing her sides a little. "I admit that I don't know if it's all true, but my instincts aren't conflicting with what I've said- rusty or not, I think that's a good sign."

A slight giggle, before she slowly took in/let out a deep breath, going to their phone... Balto heard her call their son in sick, while he went straight to Ame, who was still seated at the table.

"Looks like you're going with us today, Ame" he breathed, getting down on his knees for a bit.

His son had a small smile. "I was afraid you'd say no, dad" he breathed, standing up. "I'm glad you didn't."

...

Part of Hana wondered if they were doing the right thing, but she shook that off; no, everything would be fine. Balto believed this was a natural step, and his reasons did make sense - they sounded just like issues that would result with half-wolves. It reminded her of their times in the city, when Yuki was a cheerful nuisance sometimes, including having torn up the living room. Furniture, books, plants, toys- anything would seem fair game to a young wolf, who like dogs, needed to teethe to build up their strength. The idea that it would extend after that was only natural-

-she made a sound, turning their used car into the parking lot.

Ame was quick to get out, followed by Balto and herself - soon they were met by Mr. Tendo.

"Good morning, Tendo" Hana greeted, him nodding.

"Well, hello there young Ame. Got the day off?"

Ame just shook his head with a little smile.

"Playing hooky?"

"Yeah" Ame breathed, with a little nod; Tendo just laughed a bit, and ruffled the boy's hair a bit.

"You can come here anytime" the man assured.

"Careful about that" Balto breathed, slightly playful as he looked between them. "He just might take you up on that offer."

Hana hummed, but led Ame inside as they picked up their uniforms... to no one's surprise, Ame went to the she-wolf again, and stayed there. She looked at Balto, who touched her shoulder with a little nod, slipping on his work uniform over his clothes; she nodded back, doing the same.

"Hana, can you cover the counter?"

"Coming!"

For a stretch, things went on as you'd expect of work... then:

"Hana?"

"Yeah?" Hana breathed, currently stacking papers in the back (he slipped in). "Is it Ame?"

"Ame's slipped into his wolf form." he whispered quickly, glancing at the open door, people going by. "He's keeping his ears open and everything, but I thought you should know."

"Make sure to watch out too" Hana answered, but squeezing his hand, to show that she thanked him. He nodded, leaving the work to her as he turned to go- she watched for a moment, then returned to stacking, though she was a little amazed.

Ame certainly hadn't wasted any time - she wondered what Ame could be asking the she-wolf. Maybe something about the wild that only another wolf would know, or perhaps wondering why she was fine with captivity? Or something?

/

As time went on, Balto wasn't sure if he should say something, despite his own advice; Ame still wasn't willing to go back to school. His son rarely followed them to the Nature Center after that day, but spent increasing time in the forest, as seen some mornings when he went the opposite direction. In fact, more than once Ame asked Yuki if she wanted to come with him - most times she was busy with homework, or just wasn't interested. And speaking of which, he could already see that as a prime sign, regarding Yuki's decision... it wasn't unlike his, but with less interest in the wolf side.

Still, believing in what his instincts told him, Balto assured himself + Hana about Ame- whatever was going on, he would get through it.

But for now, work continued as usual-

"Hana?"

"Uh, she's outside in the fields" he spoke up. "What is it?"

"Call from school."

Blinking, he took the phone, but humming a bit. "This is Balto" he spoke... but the more he heard, the more his brow furrowed. "Uh, thank you; we'll be right there."

He hung up quickly, then in short order found Hana, told her what happened, they begged Tendo to let them go for this (he understood), and then off they were driving as fast as was possible. It sounded like a blur, but it basically _had_ been- he didn't remember individual moments at the time, because his worry for Yuki was much stronger, and he intended to hear this.

They finally got to her school, where they hurried up to the office, quickly being led inside- they stopped once the door opened. Balto immediately saw Yuki (completely still, head lowered), the boy mentioned (Souhei), a woman beside him (Souhei's mother no doubt), and two other men from the school.

More than that though, his nose detected something - carefully, he tuned his instincts without moving a muscle; took a little effort. The scent of blood, emanating from Souhei's ear, distorted by bandages... and Yuki's left fingernails, also distorted from thorough washing...

"I'm sorry for calling you both here."

Then Souhei's mother didn't waste time, and she wasn't friendly. "When I got here, my son's head was covered in blood-"

Souhei yanked his arm from his mother's grasp. "No it wasn't" he muttered, quietly assured, but not mean-spirited.

Hmm...

"Yuki" Hana breathed beside him, worried.

"She hasn't said a word since it happened."

Hana bent down in front of Yuki, who didn't move. "Did you really hurt this boy?" she asked.

No reaction.

"Did you apologize?"

Moments passed... then the slightest head-shake.

"Do it now" Hana breathed, firmer. "I'm not asking."

Just as slow, it took Yuki moments before she could even stand, after Hana got out of her way.

"...I'm sorry" she spoke, extremely faint.

Internally, Balto felt a little better, just wanting to comfort his daughter - it was clear she needed that, but she wasn't in a talking mood.

Still, this was enough for Hana, who bowed a bit: "We're both very sorry about this."

"What do you say we put this whole thing behind us? The school's insurance will take care of any medical bills you have-"

Souhei's mother wasn't satisfied though: "Do you really think I'll let you push this aside with a weak little apology?" she demanded of Hana, making him tense. "What does that help? If my son loses hearing in that ear, I'm holding you responsible - in court, if necessary-"

"Ma'am."

He stood in front of Hana now, looking Sohei's mother straight in the eye.

"With all due respect" he spoke, very word distinct. "We're not the ones overstating things here. My daughter is sorry for what she's done; you can see that plain as day. Holding my family responsible for something that trumped-up, when it hasn't happened yet, is... _unwise._ "

His tone hinted at stronger words - and Balto was fully prepared for the furious reactions she was about to unleash upon him-

"Don't even try, mom; it wasn't Yuki anyway."

Blinking, Balto looked at Souhei, as did everyone else save Hana + Yuki.

"What was that?"

"It was a wolf" the boy spoke-

It was like something hit him in the gut; Balto suddenly couldn't breathe, if for a moment (luckily it was barely noticed). He physically heard Yuki hitch, and Hana gasped, still in her bowing position- her eyes were wide, and she started to sweat.

-"It was a wolf, not Yuki" Souhei continued, unfazed by the sudden attention. "So lay off them, mom."

"Souhei, what are you saying!? I'm sorry, _a wolf!?_ "

Balto could only stare at this boy, who remained confident, quietly unyielding in his statement that it hadn't been Yuki, even against his mother's disbelief. But despite admiring this stance, he couldn't ignore the implications, good and bad, about Souhei knowing... yet he also couldn't say anything here.

...

Hana wasn't sure what to think, after they walked out of the building.

She'd seen enough to know that what Yuki did, well, it hadn't been deliberate... perhaps a lost temper, but not deliberate. And Yuki had felt terrible about it, the way she'd almost shut down entirely over it- Hana saw that with barely any clues whatsoever. But more than that, there was the even bigger issue of Souhei having stated that a wolf attacked him, rather than Yuki; he was certain of that, no matter what anyone said to him. She didn't believe that was a coincidence whatsoever, and neither did Balto, she having seen his legs move when he hitched...

"What's gonna happen now?" she wondered faintly, looking at Balto-

-who slowly sighed, rubbing his head. "There'll be questions from the kids- I don't know how Yuki will react, not like she is" he whispered heavily, unsure.

"Mmh" Hana breathed, sadder; if she had her way, she'd have brought Yuki home right there. "...And Souhei?"

Balto paused just beside the car, staring at nothing, before he looked back at the school. Eventually: "I'm not sure, Hana" he continued, back touching the door. "Either he did see Yuki's other form, or he made it up, and I'm skeptical about it being a coincidence."

She put a hand over her heart, on the other side of the car now. "He maintains it was one though" Hana spoke, worried. "Yet most everyone is skeptical, 'knowing' that wolves are extinct in Japan... they must think he's lying on Yuki's behalf, trying to protect her."

"I hope he is, Hana" he breathed, looking at her completely. "Coincidence or not, we should be grateful for that."

She didn't miss the subtle hints, about it not being a coincidence... if Souhei had seen Yuki, even for a split-second, he might suspect something was up...

They needed to watch out for his next move.

"Agreed" Hana breathed back, before slowly digging out the keys; they still needed to get back to work. By the time she got inside + closed the door, she found Balto still outside, looking back at the school - she understood immediately; worried about Yuki.

Still, he turned and opened the front-passenger door, about to get in... before he suddenly paused, eyebrows furrowing.

"Balto?" she wondered, especially when he looked back again.

"Hana."

She looked too, and gasped; Yuki was racing straight toward them!

Balto glanced at her, his expression alone saying 'it's bad'...

Yuki got in through the open door, not seeing her own father, closing the door behind her even... after that, she didn't move at all; just sat there. Her heart beating faster, Hana looked at Balto - he was worried too, but he mouthed 'Talk to her' through the glass, and (very reluctantly) stayed outside, clearly forcing himself to; if he opened another door, it might make Yuki clam up even worse.

Long moments passed, where she tried to think of what to say...

"I tried to be good" Yuki whispered, extremely faint, sadness increasing as she talked. "I kept saying the words mom, but they didn't work... are... a-are they gonna kick me out of school? Will we have to move away... because of me?"

Yuki's shoulders started to shake, and then she began to sob. "I'm sorry" she whimpered, before it broke completely: "I'm so sorry, mom! Mom... I tried so hard!"

Hana held her daughter close, shaking, but trying to soothe her. "Oh, Yuki, I know you did" she breathed, even as Yuki continued to sob-

"-but I- I just- I couldn't!"

Yuki's sobbing continued for a long time, but she was there for her daughter... and without looking, Hana heard Balto climb into the backseat in a hurry. She saw his hands rubbing Yuki's back, doing his best with the limited space available - in her despair, Yuki didn't notice; just continued to sob, but neither of them went anywhere.

* * *

 _After work_

Balto still felt a little fragile- but why wouldn't he, after hearing his daughter break down and cry? Being forced to stand outside and listen had been hard, and he couldn't take it anymore at the end. He still remembered Hana giving Yuki that chant, when Yuki was still her excitable six-year-old self, and it _hurt_ to hear her break down over something that'd failed to help this time. Yuki didn't say anything after that either, then when they dropped her off at home, she rushed inside without another word. He'd even been distracted at work after they had to came back, but safe to say, Hana had been too, both of them just muddling through.

In the passenger seat, Balto sighed to himself, thinking that maybe they could just-

Huh?

Wait was that-? Yeah, it was: the boy Souhei.

The moment their car drove up, Souhei panicked a bit, trying to decide quickly before he hurriedly threw the paper down, then promptly ran. Balto only got out late enough to see Souhei disappear down the path, Hana similarly thinking 'was that-? when she stepped outside. He slowly turned toward the house, where he walked over, bent down + picked up the paper... it was homework, clearly from today. After a moment, he glanced down the path again; how kind of him. Even after Yuki scratched his ear _today_ , he was still going after her without any issues, including this far out - a good sign overall.

Hana pulled the paper out of his hand, looking it over- she soon had a little smile, relieved.

"Give this to Yuki, will you?" she said gently, offering it back.

Balto soon saw why; she'd comforted Yuki in the car (mostly), and now it was his turn to try - he gave her a little smile as he took it. "Got ya" he breathed back, going inside... he soon found Yuki exactly where he expected: in her bed, clearly not having moved much, if at all.

"Hey there" he whispered.

Nothing.

Mmh... "You got homework, Yuki" he continued, moving the paper a little. "From Souhei."

She further curled under the covers.

...sadly, he hadn't been expecting anything less.

He placed the paper upon the floor, slowly sliding the bedroom door closed afterward, but couldn't resist a sigh.

As the days went by, that wasn't the only time: Souhei continued to visit every day, trying to be secret, but always leaving behind homework or food even if he was seen. Yuki refused to go back to school and barely spoke a word at all - more often than not she would just stay in her bed-spread, so she never knew about Souhei's efforts until they showed her. She wouldn't move a muscle when they were still in the room (giving her what Souhei brought), but his wolf hearing heard faint sounds, usually minutes afterward... they were both relieved, as it meant she was still somewhat appreciative, even if she wouldn't admit it. They remained worried, but Hana soothed him by saying they couldn't force her- he agreed, but he'd needed to hear that.

"She'll come around" she breathed faintly, but still strong.

"Yeah" Balto whispered, drawing on that strength himself.

Just as they finished, they heard a knock on Yuki's door, which they quickly saw was Ame's doing.

"Yuki?" he asked. "...come on, Yuki; you can talk to me."

Nothing.

Ame lowered his head with a sigh, then looking at them, slowly walking over. "Mom, dad, you've had no luck either?" he asked, worried as he sat down beside them.

"No, but I don't think anything we say is the key, Ame" Hana admitted, glancing at him briefly before back at Ame. "Yuki just needs time."

"I hope that time is soon" Ame breathed, glancing down. "I hate to see her like this."

"That feeling's mutual, son" Balto breathed.

Ame nodded faintly, but looked up. "How did it happen though?" he asked, intent, "Was it the guy's doing?"

Hana slowly shifted beside him, one hand upon her knee. "We don't know exactly what happened; Yuki's refused to give any details" she spoke, "However, we do know that one way or another, Yuki scratched Souhei's ear. Yet even now, Souhei keeps coming over here, keeping her up-to-date on her homework, or even bringing food."

Their son's expression changed a little. "Okay" he breathed, glancing back at Yuki's door, "So whoever started it, he's sorry, as I know Yuki is... that's good."

"You sound like you were gonna threaten him, Ame, if he wasn't" Balto noted, but subtly approving.

Ame's lip curved slightly. "Well, Yuki's my sister, dad; anyone who crosses her isn't fine by me" he stated, before slowly standing up. "But I guess it's not needed - just hope she'll be okay."

There was something about the way Ame said that, that he couldn't put his finger on - but of course, he still felt better, seeing Ame's concern for his sister.

/

 _A week later_

Controlling her breathing, Hana worked at their crops, Balto doing similar work on the other side - still, she rubbed at her back, thinking she might need another massage tonight. That being said, it wasn't gonna stop her; this work had long since gotten into her muscle memory, and she kept getting stronger from it.

During her little break, she looked down the road... wait, that was-?

"Hi, Souhei" Hana called over, surprising him - she didn't have to look to know Balto had perked up. "Yuki went over to hang out at Shino's, sorry."

"Oh, okay" he called back after a moment, starting to go back the way he'd come.

"You thirsty?" Balto asked, just before she'd been about to ask the same thing. "You walked all the way here, after all."

One stretch later, and Souhei sat down at the table - he seemed curious, but he didn't try to be ask questions yet, thinking it might be rude. Her husband sat across from the boy while she got drinks- her initial impressions, plus the trouble he'd gone to, all gave her good feelings right now.

That brought a little smile, even as she moved toward the table, drinks in tow. "It's the least we could do" Hana breathed, giving Souhei his drink, Balto next, and finally herself as she sat down.

"Yeah" her husband whispered beside her, gentle. "Like I said, you come so far every day."

Souhei glanced up. "Well, I don't want Yuki to stop coming to school" he spoke, "That's all. She shouldn't be punished, because she didn't do anything."

"'It was a wolf'" she spoke softly, "That's what you said, right?"

For a moment, Souhei seemed surprised, as her tone had little hints of something. "Yeah, I think" he answered, looking around a little. "I know it sounds crazy, but I saw it, just for a split-second. When I woke up, it was gone and my ear was all bloody... the wolf hurt me, not Yuki" he continued, before getting a little more serious. "It's no fair she gets in trouble for that. I know that some people think she did it, but they weren't even _there._ "

That made Hana feel warmer: Souhei was lying through his teeth to protect Yuki, even after she'd scratched him. Not that she had any reason to doubt his kindness anymore, considering all the times he'd come up here, just to help Yuki out- he was insistent. And now, a little worry inside her started to unravel... she still didn't know 100% if Souhei had _actually_ seen Yuki's wolf form or not, but there seemed to be nothing to fear. Even if Souhei thought he saw Yuki as a wolf (briefly), he wasn't freaked out or suspicious, and just seemed determined to put things behind them rather than blame her.

"I see" Balto breathed, getting a little smile - she read it easily, that he felt similar. "Let me ask you this then: do you hate wolves now?"

Souhei looked up, his drink currently half-empty, before he set it down. "Nah, I think they're pretty cool" he admitted easily, glancing up. "I don't hate the one that hurt me, nor others of it's kind; why should I?"

His sincerity made her laugh a little. "I feel the same way" Hana spoke, pretty soft... under the table, she grasped Balto's hand; he returned the grip.

"As do I" her husband added, for Souhei's benefit.

The boy slowly nodded, slowly sipping down the rest of his drink. "Thank you for your hospitality" he breathed, with a slight bow, before straightening. "I appreciate it. But if you'll excuse me, I should probably get back home."

Was it her imagination though, or was that last part rather tense?

...

 _The next day_

Balto leaned against the wall, feeling the wind on his face - Hana stood close by, toying with his fingers slightly. "What about now? Do you think Souhei knows?" she asked gently, moving against his neck/shoulder.

"He knows he saw a wolf" he breathed. "If Souhei does think it was Yuki, for real or otherwise... he doesn't seem to care."

Hana looked at him, heart beating faster (he felt that through her pulse). "Should we tell her?"

"No" Balto answered, shaking his head. "Yuki's still recovering, and we have a theory, not a fact; we could make things worse if we tell her."

"Mmh."

Just then, they turned around as footsteps sounded... Yuki stood there, not having heard a word they said, but still carrying her backpack. No one said anything, but Hana's grip in his remained reassuringly tight - slowly, Yuki looked at them; Balto gave her a little smile, as gentle as he could.

His daughter's lip twitched, but she let out a breath. "Well, I'm off" Yuki stated, starting to walk forward.

They remained silent, knowing Yuki wasn't in a mood for 'You'll do fine' statements... and also seeing the visitor that they had. Yuki noticed late enough to stop only three feet away from him, hitching from surprise; Souhei just looked at her evenly.

"Hey Yuki" he greeted, raising a hand to his bandages. "Wanna see my ear?"

Yuki went 'Huh?', before Souhei braced + ripped them off- she flinched, but he bore the sensations well... then when Yuki looked back, she breathed out, seeing how unfazed he looked after that.

"Looks pretty cool, huh?" he asked, before: "Wanna touch it?"

She jolted at the out-of-nowhere question, before Souhei just extended his hand... the idea clear, she slowly brought her own hand up. He took her wrist, pulling her forward without any force, just as Yuki stepped closer at the same time.

"Does it hurt?"

"It itches; that's all."

Then there was a moment where Souhei looked at her hand, which he was still holding - Yuki realized this a second later, pulling away with some embarrassment. After another moment: "Well, come on" she breathed, walking onward, and Souhei followed.

Balto let out a great sigh; Yuki had patched things up with Souhei, initially anyway. His little girl was returning to normal, going back to school, where he hoped she'd be happy again- beside him, Hana looked up.

"Did you see what I saw, dear?"

He slowly looked at Hana, eyebrow raised; her tone had been entirely teasing.

"I'm not blind, honey" he told her mildly. "Maybe there's something there, maybe there isn't - you clearly think there's something, but they're only ten years old."

His wife still had that mischievous smile. "I know that, but sometimes that's where it starts in humans, with elementary school crushes" she told him, hanging onto his arm. "And Souhei's a good kid-"

"Yes he is, but let's not invent a romance before it actually starts - if it does."

Hana just laughed rather hard, and soon Balto joined in. Honestly-

"I'm heading out."

Surprised, they stopped laughing, seeing Ame walk past them-

-"Where are you going?" Hana wondered, blinking.

Their son turned around, "To visit Sensei" he breathed, actually having a little lip curve.

He jolted, "'Sensei'?"

"He teaches me, about life" Ame continued, seeming to focus on him as he said that, before it stopped.

Balto slowly considered that, even as he tilted his head, "By yourself?"

"Yeah" Ame answered, before he started turning to walk again. "But it's okay, mom, dad; I'll be back before too long."

"You make sure about that, Ame" Hana called after him. "And be careful."

"I will."

Balto just felt a little strange, watching his son run off toward the mountain...

...

 _Later that day_

She felt curious about this 'Sensei' Ame talked about; who was teaching her son about 'life', up on the mountains?

Balto slowly sat down beside her. "Whoever it is-" he started, before tilting his head, "No, _whatever_ 'Sensei' is, he's teaching Ame things I couldn't teach him."

"What do you mean?" Hana asked, sitting closer - she noticed that he was feeling strange.

Balto toyed with the fringes of her hair, which made her feel a little warmer. "In a normal wolf family, parents teach the pups how to hunt of course, but they teach other things too" he whispered, resting against her. "They teach them how to read the lay of the land, discern clues from weather, things like that... things I can't teach, because I never learned how to."

Hana made a sound, but gently kissed his cheek.

He hummed slightly. "Well I mean, I never _properly_ learned how to... I still have those senses, vaguely" he whispered. "But even if I taught Ame, it'd be second-hand knowledge to him, and full of mistakes. I'd like to meet this Sensei, and thank him for teaching our son."

She touched their foreheads together, fingers brushing his cheeks.

"You're still a wonderful father, Balto" Hana whispered, entirely soft. "Maybe you haven't been able to teach everything about the wolf side, but you've taught them a lot."

In answer, Balto just kissed her, entirely soft + gentle; she returned it, showing the same feelings to him.

* * *

 **Out of all the smaller additions, I believe our Wolfman's comments to Sohei's mother are one of my favorites - there's a good reason you don't threaten a wolf pup around their parents.**


	16. Different Paths, Pt 2

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

 _Home_

Hana hummed under her breath, tending to their crops - Ame was by her side lending a hand, while Balto worked on the other end.

"When it comes to the mountain, Sensei knows everything" Ame breathed with a little smile. "He's been up there a long time."

She glanced at Balto (who was listening), before she looked at Ame. "I'm surprised you get along with somebody so much older than you" she answered, gentle. "When you were younger, the sight of anyone new made you shy, but that was a long time ago."

"Yeah, it was."

"You should bring him over for dinner, Ame" she offered, looking back at her crops; this could be it. "I could cook whatever he likes to eat, and I'd love to meet him; I know your father would too."

Their son made a little sound. "Well, Sensei's not much for people" Ame admitted, working just like her. "Unlike the other animals-"

Hana slowly looked up, amazed- so there it was; his teacher was another animal.

But what kind of animal was he? Maybe one of those canids Balto had mentioned so long ago?

"-he rarely comes down" Ame continued, not really noticing. "Then again, he'd probably be okay with you mom. Dad as well, so long as he doesn't try to claim any territory-"

"I'm right here, Ame."

Balto came over just then, sitting down 'opposite' them across a furrow; he gave a little smile.

Ame returned it, looking at their crops with a small chuckle. "Yeah well, Sensei's heard your howls from years ago, dad-"

"To warn others to stay away."

"-he knows that, but the warning is there regardless" Ame continued, looking back. "Sensei doesn't think you'll break it, but he's always on-guard."

Hana, a little surprised at their conversation, slowly laughed. "Don't worry; we'll be good" she said gently, before: "Ame, could we go with you this time?"

"Sure."

For a moment, she was again surprised; just like that?

...

 _The mountain_

Well, Ame's confidence that 'Sensei' would accept them, even bringing them along without a warning - it was quite something. And after the surprise wore off, there wasn't really a reason to be worried; they _were_ curious to meet/thank him as well. Balto also gently suggested to Hana that she simply bring fruit or meat, the better to be close to wild sources of food. She'd agreed after the surprise, saying that her first instinct had been numerous other foods, but this wasn't a person they were meeting - so of course she'd thanked him (via cheek kiss), to which he'd chuckled. Back to now though, they continued up the mountain, mostly normal exercise but for a few stretches, yet they managed.

Balto remembered though, that first time he'd been up here, it felt like he'd been watched the entire time... well, he supposed he had his answer now.

Ame stopped near the top of the slope- Hana glanced at him, readying her small pack, and he nodded. The moment they got up there, they breathed out at the sight; they were standing at the entrance to a grove, where a single large tree sat in the middle. Upon it's roots rested what they quickly saw was a fox, slightly bigger than Ame- he just observed them, yellow eyes complimenting his fur color very well. Balto didn't even have to sniff to know his scent; this fox had lived his whole life up on this mountain, rarely straying toward human civilization.

"That's him" Ame breathed, at a respectful volume level. "This entire mountain is his."

"Ah" Hana breathed, quickly pulling her pack around. "Please, we wanted to thank you, for teaching our son the things we can't."

Within seconds, she'd dug out the peach, as well as a hunk of meat - Balto took them from Hana, slowly approaching the roots of that tree; the fox watched his every move. Remembering his wolf behavior, he didn't make full eye contact, and kept his head low; he was not here to make trouble, nor up-heave this domain. Slowly, he set the fabric upon a root, opening the peach and meat steak within, before he backed away just as slow. Only when he'd stepped back near Hana did the fox move down, sniffing at both items, before he tested the meat steak... then tore it apart.

"Sensei just has one question, dad."

"Hmm?" he breathed, surprised; the fox seemed to eye him again.

"He knows what you can become; he can smell it" Ame breathed, transforming into a wolf as he moved up the roots. "He wonders... why you didn't teach me?"

The pause in Ame's question caused his heart to beat faster - that wasn't just his son repeating it; Ame wanted to know the answer too.

"I didn't get a chance to learn" Balto breathed, looking at the fox straight-on, though he also glanced at Ame. "My parents died when I was very young, and I- well, I choose to live among humans. But despite that, I am sincerely grateful to you, for teaching my son those things that I could not."

Hana took his hand, squeezing it. "As am I" she breathed, very soft, eyes shining a bit. "We can't thank you enough."

The fox didn't answer that, of course... he slowly picked up the peach in his teeth, then moved up the roots; Ame followed him. But he glanced back at them, slowly nodding, "It'll be fine" he told them, before following his Sensei.

Watching his son weave through the trees, he certainly hoped so.

/

 _Nighttime_

If only she'd known what would happen next - Ame's near-uncharacteristic enthusiasm in pointing the exact names + attributes of the land's animals at work had been unusual, but it made her feel warm inside. Hana knew Balto felt the same, but at some points, he seemed to look at Ame differently, as if thinking... she'd asked, but he said (with a touch of uncertainty) that maybe it was nothing.

That should have been her warning.

"Okay, you can take a bath now" Hana called to the house, before further testing the water; nice and hot, and would retain it for a good while. They weren't likely to come right away though, and Balto was out in the village, taking care of some last-minute details. About a minute passed, while she made sure everything was in order- she thought she might have heard something, but after a moment dismissed it as her imagination. The next few happened in succession though... wait, was that Yuki + Ame?

Something crashed loudly, shattering included.

Feeling her heart go into overdrive, she raced outside, moving to the living room before she registered anything. "Hey! What's going on-?" she wondered, really worried before-Ahh!

It was a scene from a nightmare: Yuki and Ame were in full-wolf forms... but their expressions were feral, biting and clawing each other with deadly intent, tearing pieces out of each other's clothes! Ame just kicked Yuki off him, hard enough that she landed on the counter, and her quick movements sent everything flying before she landed behind the upturned dining table. Ame was right behind her, and they struggled all across the room, crashing through a few sliding doors in the process-

Only that got her out of her shock: "What's gotten into you!?" Hana demanded, trying to see them, but they were moving too fast. "Stop it!"

No one heard a word she said - they continued to crash through the house, and by the time she got where they had been, she saw their clothes had all slipped off... and still they were struggling. Once in the living room, they sped right past her, making her gasp yet she tried to get closer- but they were a medley of fangs and claws. "Yuki! Ame!" she cried out; they still didn't hear her. "Please, stop fighting! Ahh!"

Scrambling to sit up, by the time she did, Ame nearly had his sister by the throat... and both were badly scratched up, even through their fur.

The sight shocked her so much, that she couldn't breathe.

Yuki slipped out of Ame's grip, and she ran- there was the sound of a crash, but then a door slid closed... then there was silence, except for the sound of a lock clicking.

By then, she'd gotten to her feet: "Yuki! Ame!" Hana cried out again, running into the room, only to freeze where she stood.

Ame slowly rose to his feet, human, naked, completely still... the bathroom door was closed, locked, but sobbing could be heard from within.

He slowly turned to look at her...

Her breath hitched. "Ame..."

Ame's one visible eye was red... the same as Yuki's, whenever she changed into a wolf...

...

When Balto got home, a teary Hana telling him the details... everything just seemed to click into place.

He slammed his fist against the wall, agonized a bit because that _hurt_ , before slumping against that same wall- even slid down. Only a minute later did he see Hana crouched in front of him, still teary-eyed, confused, but wanting to help him.

He wasn't even sure what he felt... so much was swirling around in his head...

"Hana..."

"Yeah?" she whispered, very weak; he slowly pulled her in, and she didn't resist.

"Yuki's okay?"

Her nodding had a little sob, but that was enough.

"And Ame, did he say anything?"

"N-No."

Mentally, Balto just slumped, but he tried to rub Hana's back. ""My little booklet (she slowly jolted)... have you read all of it by now?"

"Everything but the- t-the 'ten year' part; I never got around to it" she slowly admitted. "But... what does...?"

"The section's half-blank, Hana" he whispered, internally shaky, holding her tighter. "In it details what happens, when a half-wolf chooses to be a human... I never thought about if a half-wolf decided to choose wolf."

Hana looked up at him then, tears threatening to fall. "What do you think's gonna happen?" she asked, determined to know.

He wished he had all the answers; he truly did.

"I only just realized it, but Ame is definitely favoring wolf right now" he spoke quietly; the effort pained him. "That's what suddenly put him at odds with Yuki, because she favors human. I've seen the signs with her for awhile now, but not Ame, because I didn't know what to look for. If only I had..."

Hana slowly brushed his cheek, curling closer. "But that should be okay too" she spoke, still a little weak, but trying to cheer him up. "We've been teaching them to follow their own paths, haven't we? How is this any different?"

"Because this is a critical point."

She jolted. "But why?" she asked, even more intent.

"Wolves become adults at two years of age, Hana. In human terms, that's roughly about the age of ten, not eighteen."

Because he was looking down when he said it, Balto wasn't sure what Hana's expression was... but her utter _lack_ of reaction was far more telling.

"It's not an exact process" he rasped, just holding her. "They don't decide instantly at that age, but-"

Hana just started shaking, making him trail off... then it got even worse; he saw that she hadn't heard a word he just said. Feeling even worse, he gripped her tight, just holding Hana as she shook, internally wishing he could've read the signs sooner - at least then they could have prepared, rather than suddenly realize it like this.

Why did this have to happen?

* * *

Hana wasn't the same, after she heard that... she just- s-she thought there'd be more time... but now her son was on the edge, leaning toward a lifestyle that would turn him into an adult wolf at the age of only ten! How was she supposed to take that? What would he choose to do with himself, as a lone wolf? Balto didn't know the answers either, feeling as uncertain as she did, but he did know one thing: if Ame believed that's what he wanted to do, that he found a place to belong, there was nothing they could do about it. They certainly couldn't force him to stop either, not when he's figuring things out for himself- all they could do was their best.

Balto still kept a very close eye on Ame though, and an ear on the mountain whenever their son was off there, even at work, when this would overwhelm him normally... but he stayed at it. Little bits of time went on, but still Ame hadn't chosen yet; parts of him still remained connected here, according to her husband. The choice would have to be pure; that's how he'd did it, when his time came before... Balto's own transformation had been affected by his choice to be human, yet still in touch with his wolf self to a degree. His desire stayed as such to this day, and so it was reflected.

But what did Ame want?

Neither of them could answer... but they shouldered on, trying to come to terms, her more than him... it was harder than she could say. Some nights she was silent, others had a few tears- Balto encouraged her to let it out to him, for which he was always there.

 _"I'll do my best to support what Ame chooses, as I know Balto will, but... is- i-is a lone wolf life really what he wants?"_

Neither of them knew yet...

For awhile, Yuki and Ame didn't speak to each other either - in fact, they weren't even mad; just didn't speak or look. After a certain point, it seemed to suddenly disappear one day... they'd talk, though the words were formal, and they avoided certain topics. Nonetheless, that made Balto slump out of relief; he hated seeing his two children distant toward each other, and even seeing it ease up a little was an improvement to him. Hana couldn't help but agree, yet even this formal wall between them made her sad- but, she assured herself that it was still okay; their brother-sister bond wasn't broken.

That was enough for her.

...

 _Nighttime_

But then, record heavy rainstorms hit the countryside... they did what they could to shore up, but these were more like forces of nature, rather than rain storms. The harder part was that Ame started spending more and more time up on the mountainside, because he was worried about the ecosystem and his Sensei. The only thing that kept her from begging him not to was Balto; despite how hard it was for him too, he stated Ame hadn't chosen just yet, it wasn't time. That, and they couldn't force him... but it was getting harder and harder to keep herself to that...

Hana breathed out, looking up at the sky again, where it rained near-constantly now - beside her, Balto slowly drew imaginary lines in his cushion, his breathing steady, glancing at the time: 7:08 PM.

Then-

"Ah!" she breathed, quickly standing up. "Ame!"

Ame slowly walked in, enough to take two steps before he stopped, soaked, not seeming to notice or care. Hana was soon there, grabbing him by the shoulders, "You had me worried sick, you know that!?" she demanded, just worried. "Your father too! Oh, you're soaking wet; I'll draw you a hot bath-!"

"It's Sensei."

She stopped, feeling her heart pound again - in her peripheral vision, Balto stood up to her right, gaze intent.

"He can't move because he hurt his leg" Ame continued, quiet. "I think... he's gonna die."

Slowly, feeling a lot at once, Hana turned toward Ame - she saw that he was torn up on the inside, this reflected in his tighter expression.

"He's the Guardian of that mountain, and everything on it" their son spoke, tone suddenly different. "Someone's gotta take his-"

"Ame!"

Hana jumped - at the same time, Ame jolted, looking up.

Balto's gaze was still intent, "I realize you care about your Sensei, about his injury" he stated quietly. "I realize you're worried about the other animals on the mountain, due to this deluge. But you worried your mother sick, along with me, by staying out there so long without even a word... are you just gonna ignore that?"

Ame's slowly looked down; he didn't say anything.

His mouth set tighter, but it twitched. "You are to stay here at home tonight, Ame," Balto stated, not a request, "Tomorrow as well. Your word."

Silence-

"Did you hear me?"

Ame slowly moved forward, not lifting his gaze. "Yeah" he spoke faintly, aimed at nothing. "My word, dad."

Soon Ame disappeared into the house... only when they heard the bedroom door close did Hana start to tremble; Balto had to grip the wall to steady himself. All that would go through her mind was Ame's words, before Balto sharply cut him off.

Was he... was he really about to say...?

Ame...

Numbly, blindly even, she tried to find Balto... but he found her; he was breathing heavily, even before she started to shake. Hana was barely aware of anything that happened after that, at least consciously, except the arms encircling her.

...

 _The next day_

Balto would be lying to himself, if he said he didn't know what was gonna happen next - Hana knew it too deep down; he could see that in all the little things she did yesterday. She wasn't ready, and neither was he to a lesser degree- they both had the expectation, the mental preparations that being an adult meant waiting till at least eighteen years of age. Part of him should've known better, because he was part-wolf, and just because he'd chosen human didn't mean both his kids were gonna... but he hadn't thought about it. He hadn't even _tried_ , consciously or otherwise, because of those same human instincts, just as Hana hadn't known about it until too late.

They still expected Ame to be with them longer than this... they would never be ready, especially her, now that the ten-year-mark had passed for Ame.

But for Balto, his other instincts knew that he couldn't change this - he'd have to force Ame before that happened, and that... well, _no one_ would stand for that, no matter what they felt. He'd had no choice but to tell Hana all that, but he wished he could've said something (anything) else to ease things. Even his scolding yesterday had been harder than it should've, because he knew _exactly_ what his son had been about to say... but he refused to tolerate Ame's lack of concern for his own family's worries, or making the choice before he'd fully committed himself. If either element had been absent, then he'd have stayed silent during that sentence-

-which would've been the hardest part of all.

It all started that morning, where Ame rose first from his bed - he moved silently to the sliding door, and he seemed to look back for a moment before moving.

Balto crept an eye open, tuning all instincts to hearing... footsteps continued, before a door slid open; one of the entrances to the front yard, near the stonework.

He tensed a little, preparing to race out there-

Silence for a long time... slight scuffles sounded in place, before even more silence, other than the sounds of outdoors-at-night. His son was still at the open door, sitting now- well, Ame was keeping his promise to the letter, but his heart still beat fast.

He just felt... no, relieved wasn't the right word... anticipation was.

If Ame chose that path, neither he nor Hana could change that; it'd be unfair to their son - all that remained was Ame remembering the important things in life, and the proper way to behave. That was the best they could hope to do...

...Balto still hoped it would be enough.

...

He kept that eye on Ame as the day continued, preparing breakfast and other early-morning activities, though his son's focus was vague - right now, Hana's grip on the dishes was tight, reflecting what she felt, but still she shouldered on subconsciously. Balto did his best to help her, but he was slow, because he kept hesitating... so they had a bit of a 'late' early start, but they were the only ones apparently.

"Ugh, so humid" Yuki breathed at the welcome mat, putting on her shoes - her voice easily filtered in through the open slider door.

"Yuki?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't go to school today."

"What? What for?"

"Just stay home with mom and dad."

Hana seemed to remember something, as she briefly passed the job to him + went over to the threshold, "You know the bus won't wait" she said, Yuki saying back "I'm going, don't worry." Then Yuki told her brother to keep them company instead, before running off + saying she'd see them later, Hana calling out "Bye!"

Balto did what he could to enjoy that nicer moment... but he remained internally unsure, for numerous reasons. The radio continued to list a possible rainstorm coming up, predicted to be bad, and likely to be even worse (as they tended to)... no doubt that was one of them. Ame had also just warned his sister not to go to school today, as if- as if his _wolf_ instincts knew about the storm. His grip tightened- part of him still didn't want this, but he knew that he'd have to let him go, even eventually... it just shouldn't have been this soon, the first part argued.

"Ame?"

He glanced up, listening carefully... no movement at all...

"Ame" Hana called, more firmly; Ame seemed to move in place.

A moment passed, then his wife let out a little breath: "Let's get inside, okay?" she asked, moving back, but looking at Ame as she did so - with little choice, Ame walked in with slow footsteps, not looking at anything in particular.

"Hana?" Balto breathed, glancing at the radio, which continued to give him a bad feeling (in addition to his instincts).

"Yeah?"

"I think we should put up the rain covers" he told her, gesturing at the radio. "If this upcoming storm is anything like they're saying, it's only gonna get worse; we should be prepared."

Hana glanced at the slider doors, thinking, but she nodded. "Yeah, you're right; it's best to be safe, but let's wait till after breakfast."

"Alright. Ame?" he breathed, watching his son stop. "We could use a hand with that."

"...sure dad."

...

 _An hour later_

In short order, the three of them went into the tool shed for the covers - Ame would help carry them over, while they fitted the covers over the sliding doors. When they were still working with one, Ame would sometimes just stand around in the front yard, a small distance away. As he fitted the doors, Balto didn't feel this was going against his 'stay home' command, as the front yard was part of home. But he also knew Ame could know that- a case of exact words, which worried him... perhaps he hadn't been exact enough...

But work continued anyway: they fitted the welcome mat doors first, a fairly-new addition Hana had insisted upon. The rest went on for awhile, as they had to get both sides of the house - they started with the front side, as it would be the most exposed, whereas they could wait on the back (protected somewhat by the forest growth). Halfway through the back side, the wind started picking up, really heavily - Hana had some balancing issues when that happened, as did he- Ame slowly looked at the sky, unfazed by the wind.

Still, they eventually got them done, and made sure each was functioning correctly- yeah, they were good to go.

 _Plop_

Balto heard it first, breathing out... soon more raindrops began to fall, with Ame looking up at the sky, then Hana noticed as well. Quickly, he gestured for them to go inside, and they did, though he had to pull Ame inside before he would try to move.

In the span of minutes, the rain went from a light drizzle to a 'normal' rainstorm level, and it'd only just started.

* * *

 **Having the Wolfman around to tell her what happens/what might happen, even if he's unsure about his own lack of details, does have it's downside...  
**

 **But at the same time, you may wonder why he's more unable to see the 'wolf' hints. In the movie, he was in the afterlife for roughly ten years, which meant plenty of time to meet his parents again, getting the full measure of knowledge from them - through that, how he saw the hints from Ame, and how he guided Hana during their dream meeting. Without that happening, he's left with merely his own experiences (skewed toward choosing human), and the little bits he did learn from his parents while they were alive.**

 **Also, happy Christmas Eve + (early) Day everyone :)**


	17. Fateful Storm

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

That storm just kept going, never letting up for a moment.

Hana breathed steadily, folding clothes where she sat, Balto helping opposite her - Ame remained sitting on a dinner chair, his gaze on a point beyond the room. She glanced at him, but continued to work, going up, over, and down-

 _Boom_

They jolted, before the lights suddenly went out - across from her, Balto looked up; he must still be able to see, just a little.

"A blackout?" she wondered, instinctively standing up, feeling her way across as she moved by memory... just as she reached the room, about to light some candles, the phone rang. Hana wondered how it could do that during a blackout, before she remembered it was an older machine, if connected to a landline; it didn't need electricity, just it's own batteries.

She picked it up, "Hello?"

As they told her, she got worried before steadying her own breathing; the storm was indeed bad if this was happening. "I understand; I'll be right over" she said, hanging up before she reached for her raincoat... luckily a flash of lightning lit things up enough that she could see where it was.

"Hana?"

"They're ending school early, because of this storm" she told him, quickly moving into the living room, her eyes adjusted enough to see now. "I'm gonna go pick up Yuki."

Balto stood up at that, glancing at Ame before back at her, "Go on, Hana" he whispered. "I got things here."

His words gave her a little reaction, but Hana forced that down; she trusted him of course. "I'll be back as soon as I can" she quickly assured, hugging him briefly, while he gave her cheek a little kiss. Before she ran outside, she pulled her raincoat's hood over, but the elements physically hit her upon the first step out - still, she hurried into the car, breathing out once she got inside.

Everything will be okay, Yuki.

...

 _A little later_

Balto wished he could listen to the rain, letting it take his worries away, but he was too unsteady. He remained sitting against his bookshelf, feeling coiled at the anticipation, he knew that deep down... but least it wasn't-

-he stopped, going absolutely still.

The slightest scrap; the chair being moved back.

He looked toward the dinner room - Ame walked around the corner, eyes hidden, steps steady and measured. His son moved toward the slider door, reaching out and opening them, before going out onto the welcome mat...

Next thing Balto knew, he was past the welcome mat's threshold, the rain hitting him instantly, while Ame was halfway across the front yard.

"So that's it, huh?"

Ame stopped, halfway toward the path; he didn't move.

A moment, then: "This is really what you want, Ame?" he called.

"You know what I was going to say, dad; someone has to take Sensei's place" Ame spoke, with absolutely no hesitation. "Someone has to protect that place, the animals that live there- who better than me?"

"Is that your only reason?"

"No, it isn't; that place is special to me - I can't imagine where else I'd rather be in this world."

Just like that, something just snapped inside... his insides felt mixed together, conflicted, but strangely calm in the center; the moment had finally arrived.

There was silence for awhile, except for the pounding wind + rain.

"I still hoped I'd taught you better, Ame" he stated. "About important things."

Ame's head moved to the right. "I kept your promise, dad" he stated, "I stayed last night, as well as today... but you never specified how much of today."

Balto slowly sighed. "I admit that" he answered, utterly still, "But keeping promises isn't the only thing I was talking about."

Ame still didn't move.

"Promises are important" he recited, each word as heavy as the wind + rain. "Family is important. Gotta remember important stuff, or else."

Minutes passed, before Ame slowly turned, enough to look at him... his eyes were visible now, and his mouth trembled once, so brief it might have been his imagination...

"I'm grateful, dad" Ame stated quietly, but still he could hear every word somehow, along with the underlying emotions. "You, mom, Yuki, you taught me everything you could, and Sensei did the rest... but now it's time for me to strike out on my own. There's nothing more I can learn here. But about yesterday - you were right; I was too preoccupied, and that's no excuse. I'm truly sorry about that."

Those words, those of an adult...

"I know that too, Ame" Balto eventually breathed, feeling strange. "I knew what you were gonna say; I only scolded you because you disregarded our worry, even for understandable reasons. But that being said, you've apologized just now, and you've done good on your promises."

"Thanks."

"But you're not leaving without saying goodbye" Balto finished, looking up; he could feel the tears falling, despite the rain. "Ame... your mother, your sister, me... we all deserve to hear it from you personally, not just _through_ me. Don't you agree?"

Ame turned even more, coming face-to-face now... his gaze lowered. "They'll try to talk me out of it, dad" he stated.

"Maybe" he answered. "But that's the least you could put up with, before you say goodbye."

Ame barely reacted-

"And besides" he added, far more gentle that even he'd expected. "Hana and I long since agreed that we can't force you to stay, Ame; this is _your_ choice."

Ame's head jerked up, purely surprised- Balto just gave off a little smile. Internally, he wasn't sure what he felt... one moment he'd been sad, unsteady, a whirlwind of emotions... and now something had suddenly drained it all away, just like he'd been thinking earlier about the rain. He barely felt the storm anymore, already being soaked-to-the-bone no doubt one of the reasons- he didn't move a muscle as they stood there. Opposite him, Ame slowly glanced at the path, then back at him- his lip twitched, having heard the same subtle sounds.

Neither of them moved, even when the sounds of a car came up the path.

/

 _Seconds before_

Hana made a sound; this downpour was truly one of the worst in a long time, and she could barely see through her windshield, even with the wipers at full speed. Still, she turned the moment their road came into view, giving the car a little gas to get up the hill - just as she turned into the front yard though, she slowed-to-a-near-stop; wait, was that-

She hitched, heartbeat going into her throat.

"Mom? What is it?"

"Ma'am?"

In her state of mind, she only responded to Yuki's question, while unconsciously getting the car into position (so it couldn't roll back down the hill when parked): "Just stay inside, Yuki" Hana breathed, unbuckling her seat-beat quickly and opening the door. She'd barely gotten her raincoat's hood over before the rain hit, while she reflexively closed the door.

"Balto" she breathed, running up to him, but his hair hid his eyes. "Why is Ame- no, no no no, please tell me you're stopping him-!"

"It's no longer possible, Hana."

If she hadn't seen his lips move, she wouldn't have registered what he said... he slowly looked at her, and Hana gasped; his face was streaked with tears, separate from the rain. Despite that, his expression was one of pride, and his grip was steady when he took her shoulders - he knew what was happening, that he couldn't prevent it, but he'd- he'd accepted it.

The moment she realized that, it knocked the wind right out of her... Hana looked at Ame, shaking, while he was utterly still despite the storm. He was- he was determined, just by the strength of his eyes, but there was sadness too.

"Ame!"

He turned; Yuki raced to a stop beside him, getting soaked herself now. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What I've chosen to do, Yuki" Ame answered, though his lip twitched. "I'm a wolf after all."

"But Ame-" she started, brushing her wet hair out of her face. "You belong here at home."

"I know I would, no matter what happens" he stated, looking down. "But there's nothing left here for me - my heart is out there, on that mountain, following my instincts as it's guardian."

Yuki went still as he talked, before beginning to shake...

"Are you surprised, Yuki?"

Slowly, very slowly, she shook her head. "No" she answered, "I just feel like I wanna hit you, for being an idiot..."

Her brother almost had a little smile.

"I mean it, Ame" Yuki breathed in a harder tone, looking up again. "If I thought I had any chance at stopping you, at changing your mind, I'd... I-I'd... gah, I don't know what I'd do!"

"..."

"...but, you're as stubborn as ever, Ame..."

Like that, Ame slowly came over, touching his hand to her shoulder- Yuki just hugged him tightly, to his brief surprise, before he returned that. "It's not stubbornness, Yuki" he breathed, ignoring the rain + wind, which were starting to lessen. "I simply know in my heart where I want to be. Do you know that feeling?"

"Yeah" Yuki whispered, trembling. "You know that much, Ame, even if you don't agree with my choice."

"I still want you to be happy, of course I do."

She just made a sound, still hugging him tightly, shaking once.

"Plus I'm not cutting off ties" Ame told her. "You're all still my family, and everything."

"You'd better prove that, Ame. You hear me? Promise."

"Heh. I'll keep in touch occasionally, Yuki - I promise I will."

From the sidelines, Hana just- she- she couldn't describe what she was feeling, even if she tried!

He slowly stepped back, Yuki looking at him, hand over her heart- her eyes were teary, but Ame touched her shoulder, with a little nod. Then he looked around at them, breathing a little heavier, before he slowly stepped closer... starting with her.

"Ame" Hana breathed, shaking. "This is really what you want?"

Balto's hand touched her shoulder... it was shaking too, but his voice was strong. "Don't worry, Hana, Yuki" he breathed, "Ame knows himself, and where he's supposed to be. He knows all the important things; we made sure of that."

"He's right, mom" Ame said, a little more gentle - he even hugged her. "I'm going to where I belong."

Her son- Ame- he was finding his place in this world...

"But wasn't I-" she whispered weakly, shaking, never wanting to let him go. "Ame, wasn't I supposed to have taught you more?"

Ame actually hitched, expression close to breaking for a moment - he slowly slid out of her arms, her making little motions, but he still stepped back. Then he looked at Balto, who still smiled despite his own tears, slowly nodding- Ame's lip twitched again. Then he hugged his father quickly, to his own surprise, but his grip was just as tight as hers had been... then Yuki leaned against her, Hana jolting as she held her daughter close. Long moments passed before Ame let go, stepping back from all of them, hair hiding his eyes again. Unnoticed by any of them, a long time passed after Ame stopped, enough that the rain itself passed...

"Goodbye."

Just like that, Ame ran- in no time at all, he'd transformed into a full wolf, racing past the car and down the path. He stopped at the road, just long enough for a last lingering look, before he went off toward the mountain... the moment he was gone, Yuki started to shake again-

-"Ame" she breathed weakly.

Feeling the same inside, Hana shook before she held Yuki close, tears falling - Balto was there then, rubbing their backs as they shook, "Shhh, shhh, shhh." Weakly, Yuki moved out of her embrace to hug her father, who returned the favor with one hand, the other open to her- she took it without thinking.

It must have gone on for minutes... it must have, because even as they shook, the darkened clouds began to light up, with the sun finally coming out...

...then eventually, there came the sound of a door opening behind them.

They all jumped, turning to face the sound before they froze; Souhei climbed out of the car slowly, closing the door behind him.

He looked between them slowly, before making a sound-

"We should, uh, get inside" Souhei spoke faintly, aware how awkward the situation was.

* * *

 _Inside_

A pall hung over them, not just because of Ame, but the many lingering questions - it was merely out of experience that they got inside, sitting down without bothering to dry off. They sat at the table in silence, Hana + he on one side, and Yuki opposite her mother, before Souhei slowly joined them after several moments-

-speaking of whom, they should get right to the chase.

"What did you see, Souhei?" Balto asked, faint.

The boy glanced down for a moment - he'd grown a fair bit, but his mannerisms were much the same, including his quiet confidence. "Everything, sir" Souhei spoke, "I didn't hear much of it, but I kinda got the gist... especially when Ame ran by the car."

He slowly breathed out... Souhei had seen his son as a wolf, truly seen him, but wasn't surprised or freaking out in the slightest...

Hana must've been thinking along the same lines: "You've known before this, haven't you?" she whispered, weak + teary-eyed, yet determined.

"Well, not Ame exactly, but it did make sense" Souhei spoke, glancing at Yuki (who was staring at him wide-eyed, fist near her heart). "I mean... Yuki I- I knew it was you who hurt my ear, back then, and all that."

Yuki made a sound, shaking, tears starting to fall-

-this made him gasp a little, nearly animated. "I'm so sorry" he quickly breathed, turning toward her. "I didn't mean to reveal that before you were ready - Yuki, please don't cry."

But Yuki shook her head several times, the tears too well-mixed with rainwater to tell which was which anymore. "N-No, I-I'm not crying" she mumbled, overcome with emotion, wiping at her face. "I-I just- I've wanted to tell you for so long..."

Seeing that both kids were forgetting they were here, Balto slowly leaned back from the scene, having to stifle numerous sounds. Vaguely, he thought that Hana had the right idea before, when she saw these two interact- there just might be something there. Still, when he looked at Hana, he was more relieved than he had a right to be; Souhei knew Yuki's secret, guessed at their family's through that, but he didn't care. Hana was similarly overcome when she looked over, fingers shakily covering his, before she quickly leaned against him, wanting comfort- he gave it to her, which made him feel a little better. They stayed that way as they slowly looked back-

-where their daughter had turned half-wolf - compared to her younger self, she barely had her snout or fur, but retained many other features.

Souhei looked her over for a few seconds, his interest apparent, but he only gave a little smile. "I"m still sorry" he spoke gently, "It was your secret, and you should've been the one to say it when you were ready, rather than me."

Yuki seemed to ignore this entirely, a hand slowly brushing against a wolf ear. "You knew all this time" she whispered, still overcome with relief, among everything else.

Souhei had a moment were he realized this, but extended his hand after a moment, touching her shoulder. "You had nothing to worry about though, Yuki" he breathed after a moment, lip curving. "I never told anyone, and I'm never gonna. You're safe."

She looked down a bit, hair quickly hiding her eyes, but her tone was softer afterward. "Well- I don't suppose I can hide it anymore, now that you know."

"No, and you shouldn't around only me" he breathed, really gentle. "It's cute. And I mean that seriously, not, you know, in the weird way."

Yuki hiccuped, hand near her mouth as her gaze lifted.

No one could know how much this scene was lightening things up, which they really needed.

"But you're still curious" Balto whispered right then, drawing Souhei's attention. "You must have so many questions."

The boy slowly nodded, turning back toward him. "Yes sir, but, I don't wanna be rude-" he stated, before he stopped-

-as did they.

A wolf howl sounded through the wind, the fields, echoing for a long time...

Balto slowly let out a great sigh; Ame, having claimed his territory, ready to take on what he'd chosen to do. He couldn't help but be proud, even now, where he'd had to let his son go. Hana seemed to deflate against him, fresh tears falling, but a hand over her heart... Yuki was still teary-eyed too, but she glanced outside, no doubt imagining her brother in his place.

Souhei looked between them all, but he remained respectfully quiet, just listening with interest.

Only after Ame's howl stopped, and a few seconds went by:

"You're way past normal societal conventions, Souhei" Hana whispered, but much lighter-

Balto slowly glanced at her, _"Hana"_ he thought, amazed...

-she just wiped at her tears. "You're a friend of the family" Hana assured, "Promising never to tell anyone only makes it even more so."

Souhei jolted, but he quickly nodded, out of instinct- beside him, Yuki just had a little smile, even as she mindlessly wiped her own tears.

...

 _Later_

Hana felt- mmh, she wasn't sure.

She might have compared it to being reborn, when she heard Ame's howl, truly signifying that he had taken his place, that he was where he belonged. She'd figure out her emotions one day, but for right now, she was surprisingly fine (even to herself)... even if she weren't though, nothing would have stopped her from moving onward.

Still, she quickly got their drinks ready, moving back to the living room - Souhei and Yuki were seated on the floor, while Balto had- oh, transformed into his wolf form. Souhei was really interested, if a little surprised, as he said it was a lot more wolf-like than Yuki's-

"Well, I chose to keep my instincts intact, even as I live as a human" Balto answered, before he shifted back quickly; he adjusted his clothes back to normal instinctively.

Yuki made a sound, but smiling a little. "And I-I just want to be a regular human" she said softly, her friend looking at her. "I can still change though, because I'm a half-wolf... it's in my blood."

Souhei started to answer, before he saw the offered drink (which he took), then glanced back around them. "Well, I think it's all pretty cool" he spoke, starting to drink. "Really."

Hana slowly smiled; Souhei was a good kid, while a similar expression passed over her husband's face, taking his drink in the process.

"I know my family wouldn't think that way, but I'm not like them."

"Speaking of which" Balto slowly added, tilting his head. "Why didn't you wait at school for your mom, Souhei?"

He slowly looked away; it was almost impossible to miss the way he suddenly went still, the way his expression darkened - Yuki in particular noticed, her demeanor worried about him.

"I don't think she would've come" Souhei breathed, quieter. "She got married again, and she's having a baby with the guy... once it's here, mom probably won't pay me any attention."

The way he said that, wearily reluctant, not surprised at all- it made Hana breathe out, and Balto didn't know what to say either. They still remembered that day in the office, when his ear was slashed by Yuki, how hostile she'd been over her son being injured... the idea of her being like this now was just- just...

Yuki slowly crawled over, almost shoulder-to-shoulder. "What'll you do, Souhei?"

"Don't get me wrong, I know it's coming" he spoke again, slowly looking forward. "She'll probably want me out of her new lifestyle, and I can't say I'm not preparing, just in case. Wherever I might go next, I think I'll probably become a boxer, or maybe a wrestler-"

"You don't have a muscle on you, Souhei" she answered, slightly teasing, though still worried. "You'd lose in a heartbeat."

"Then I'll train, get stronger" Souhei breathed intently, looking at her... then he just pulled off this big grin.

Hana could see right through it; he was nervous, even afraid, but still determined to face whatever was next - beside her, Balto slowly took her hand, which she unconsciously squeezed, knowing they were feeling the same thing. They said nothing though, doing their best not to interrupt the moment, yet again, that these two were having.

Yuki made a sound, but seeming amazed. "Why are you putting on such a show, Souhei?" she asked, gentler. "You don't have to be alone."

"But-"

"And even if you do run away from home" she continued, surprising her friend. "You'll be welcome here anytime."

Sohie just slowly blinked, several times.

Yuki slowly glanced up at them, "Right mom, dad?" she breathed, slightly nervous.

Hana just smiled, glancing at Balto, who had his usual smile too- for a moment, they were enjoying all of this.

"I don't have a problem with that" her husband said, shrugging-

-she managed a little sound. "Neither do I" Hana spoke, looking back, "Yuki's right; you'll be welcome here anytime, Souhei."

The boy stared at her, before remembering himself; he quickly stood up, bowing a little. "Thank you very much" Souhei stated, "I swear, I'll keep that in mind."

/

 _Later (again)_

"You'll be fine there, Souhei."

"I don't doubt that, Yuki; I was just surprised, you know. If I do accept, I know I'll be a guest, but I don't want to be a freeloader-"

"You won't be; there's plenty of things you could help out with."

"Like what?"

Even as Yuki answered in the back seat, Hana just smiled, trying to resist the urge to glance back - friendship or more, her daughter was pretty close to Souhei (and he to her). Wanting to tell him her deepest secret for so long, despite everything she'd been taught- that spoke how much she trusted him, even with the worry. Already Hana remembered, back to that night on the hill, wind flowing through her hair as Balto changed right in front of her... feeling the same mix of emotions Yuki must have. And just like her, Souhei hadn't been afraid- maybe a little shocked, but that hadn't stopped how he felt about Yuki, assuring her that she had nothing to worry about-

-in the front passenger seat, she instinctively touched an arm to Balto's.

He was slightly surprised, glancing at her while driving, unsure why she suddenly did that; Hana just gave a little smile. Balto looked back at the road, then glanced at her a second time, seeming to chalk it up to a random affection in his little smile - which was fine with her; it basically had been.

A little later:

"Up there sir, turn right - second house on the right side" Souhei pointed out, leaning in-between the front seat space, just a bit.

"Got it."

Hana quickly saw that a car was parked out front, showing someone was home. Only question; was it his mother, (step?)father, or maybe others? But speaking of Souhei's mother, was she really not gonna care that he'd been out without telling her, or react similarly to when they'd been in the school office?

Balto slowly parked the car, just behind the other one - once he put it in park, Souhei and Yuki took their seat-belts off.

"Don't take too long" Hana told them, Yuki nodding as they got out; soon the car doors closed, while the two of them moved in front of the car, talking.

"Hmm" she breathed, before looking at Balto, "Do you think he'll take up our offer?"

He looked back, hands behind his head. "If he does take up our offer-" he started, before pausing for a moment, "-well, I hope it's not because he actually ran away from home. I'd hate to have that happen..."

Hana touched a hand to her heart, feeling heavy, but with a slow nod. "Me too" she breathed, touching his hand; he returned the grip. "The very idea is hard to imagine - not just Souhei running away, and being okay with it... but his mother, well-"

"Don't think about that" he breathed quickly, startling her. "Not yet, at least."

"What?"

"Souhei could be wrong; his mother could still be concerned about him, even with that new baby" he continued... but his tone said he was unsure. "We just gotta hope."

After a moment, Hana agreed; they'd hope, be prepared for anything, but they wouldn't assume anything until it occurred. She squeezed his hand tighter, appreciating what he was doing - they were fine, and they intended to stay that way, but now wasn't the time to push their luck.

Just then, Yuki got back into the car, slowly waving to Souhei (who Hana saw return it, if the single-wave 'Bye') - like that, Balto adjusted the park controls, before pulling out of the driveway.

* * *

 **Different, yet similar... Ame gets to say goodbye to the whole family, including his sister. At the same time, Yuki + Souhei's little classroom talk + reveal didn't happen, but similar events still took place, as a sorta-substitute for that.**

 **Yet still not done here.**


	18. At Peace

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki, subbed or dubbed, characters included.

 **Rating:** T (some hints of M at points)

 **A retelling of the movie, except in written form**

* * *

 _Almost a year later_

"Are you sure about this?" Yuki asked, worried.

Dad just smiled, hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Yuki; your mom will say yes" he assured, entirely confident. "Of course we'll miss you, but it's for a good reason, not having to spend five hours a day going to-and-from home."

"But that's also it, dad" she answered, glancing over the corner; mom sat at the table, working on a scrapbook, no doubt with pictures of her. "It'll just be the two of you here, and it won't be easy for me to visit, except maybe every weekend or so."

"As long as you write to us, it could be even longer than that" he answered, rubbing her shoulder now. "We'll be alright, and happy that you're continuing your education. Also, for awhile it won't just be the two of us; we have a guest."

She slowly conceded that one, glancing at the open back doors, even though she couldn't see anything in the forest growth.

Dad bent down a little, bringing her back. "Yuki, we'll be fine" he assured again. "You can go to middle school without having to worry about us. Okay?"

Part of her remained unsure, but Yuki slowly nodded, dad returning it as he stood up... slowly, she went toward the corner.

Dad patted her back after she hesitated: "Go on" he urged, tone just as gentle.

She smiled, before taking in a breath, fidgeting with her folded junior-high-school uniform. Then she walked into the living room, dad following behind her a short distance, while mom looked up - she seemed to have an idea when she saw dad, who probably reacted behind her. "What is it, Yuki?" she asked.

Yuki tried hard not to fidget again, managing to sit down just opposite her. "Mom, I was thinking" she said, glancing down. "Well- the middle school is two-and-a-half hours away, by bus and train..."

Nothing.

Already she felt this wasn't going well, but Yuki fought that off; not necessarily. "It'd be a hassle, having to spend five hours going back-and-forth" she continued, even more nervous. "Not just for me, you and dad too, if you drove me by car. Is it r-really worth it-?"

"Yuki."

She jolted, looking up + heart beating faster... mom looked at her a few moments, then smiled. "It's okay" she breathed gently, "You can stay at the school's dorms."

Yuki slowly gasped, entirely surprised... did she just-?

"You're right; it would be a hassle" mom admitted, hands in front of her, glancing at the scrapbook - Yuki slowly looked too; older pictures of her from before, including at sporting events, one picture with her friends that even sorta had Souhei on one side. "Of course you'd want to avoid that, but why did you think we'd say no?"

Yuki felt the urge to shake a little from relief, and something else... she glanced back at dad, who nodded in a 'what did I tell you?' gesture; he hadn't had any doubts. Then she looked back at mom, all this swirling in her head, "I was afraid, mom" she admitted, tapping her fingers once. "I know you don't wanna let me go-"

"We're not letting you go, Yuki."

She jolted, looking up in surprise.

Mom's smile was soft, and a little proud. "It's not the time for that yet, as you're not going away forever" she continued, Yuki slowly realizing dad was coming toward the table too, "You're going to school, finding out what it is you want to do with your life. Maybe we won't see you every day, but every week or two would be enough for us, even if it is in writing sometimes - we'll be fine."

"Exactly what I said" dad added gently, his smile just as soft.

Her eyes grew wet, before Yuki realized this, quickly wiping at them - she still felt unsure about if they were really fine with this inside, but how could she argue? "Thanks mom, dad" she whispered, happier, "I promise I'll do my best, and be back as often as I can."

"You'll do great" mom assured - when dad took her hand, showing the same sentiment, mom wasn't surprised at all.

/

 _Later that day_

 _"Almost time"_ Ame thought, even as the wind shifted; he could smell Yuki's scent growing stronger and stronger, other fainter scents included in that - he could identify mom and dad easily, but it took a little on the third one. Even as he did so, the animals that resided in this grove could smell her too, and all quickly strove to hide themselves, for even his word didn't override their instincts.

Well, she could've come less loudly, he guessed.

Soon her breathing could be heard, and he stepped down from the higher roots, seeing her gradually appear over that small rise. She barely needed to catch her breath, as she raced straight toward him, slowing just four feet away.

"Ame" she breathed, feeling glad to see him.

"Yuki" he greeted, settling on his haunches, even as she sat on one of the roots. "You're leaving soon, aren't you?"

His sister nodded vaguely, thoughts inwardly directed. "They're letting me go" Yuki whispered, slowly looking at him, "After you left, I was sure they weren't gonna let me."

"But you remember, don't you?" Ame asked, looking out across the grove, seeing a few of those memories himself. "How hard they worked when we were little? That should tell you how strong they are."

"I remember" she stated, more gentle. "I still long for those times, even if it would mean you hadn't decided on anything yet. I miss you, Ame."

He didn't answer, but his lip did twitch.

"But I know you're not gonna come back" Yuki continued, a little more sad. "Still, I'm glad I came here today."

He looked at her then, she only slightly behind on returning it. "I wish you luck, Yuki" he answered, lip curving a bit. "Also, if you ever want to explore the wild, you know where to find me."

"I could say the same for you visiting civilization again" his sister added, still smiling. "Even if briefly."

He merely smirked a little.

"Do one thing for me though."

"What's that?"

Yuki glanced down the grove, back the way she came. "When we're getting ready to leave tomorrow, give off a howl" she said gently, hands on her knees, "Mom and dad seem fine, but I'd like them to hear you. Make it seem like you're sending me off."

"You got it" he assured, already picking out the exact spot from which to do so.

Just like that, his sister got up, before Yuki came over - she was slightly unsure, the question obvious in her bearing, where he slowly sighed. "Go ahead" Ame whispered to her, affectionately exasperated; Yuki just smiled, almost giggling, before she hugged him.

For quite a long time, at that.

"Sorry if I'm being clingy" she whispered into his fur. "I really did mean it; I miss you so much, Ame."

Ame slowly breathed out, but settled against her. "I know, Yuki" he whispered back, "I do too - I'm always thinking about if you'd decided to join me, of which it's not too late."

Yuki shook her head a little. "No thanks" she continued to whisper, but gentle, "Being a wolf has it's charms, but I think being human is even better, in the end."

She said that with no hesitation, no doubt whatsoever, which made him a little proud; he might not agree, but he respected her choice. And as long as she found her place, was happy, especially both, what exactly could he say about it?

"And do you still think I'm an idiot?" he asked.

"Yes" she whispered, slightly playful. "You're a stubborn idiot, Ame, but I understand the appeals of being out here."

Ame nuzzled her flank a little, "Good" he breathed softly.

* * *

 _The next day_

 _Near school_

"Honestly Yuki, the twelve years we spent raising you and Ame, they were kinda crazy" mom admitted, turned in her seat.

"I can imagine, mom" she admitted; raising children was hard enough by the sound of it, but half-wolves? She must've been a handful really, with all that energy to run around and be a maniac - it was strange to look back and remember all that now, especially considering how different she'd been.

"That time passed by in a dream" mom continued-

Yuki jolted, hearing the emotions in mom's voice; it was like everything packed into one. And more than that, when mom said that line, dad glanced at them both - his little smile somehow managed to convey the same senses to her, both of pride and sadness.

"-or in a fairytale. It was quite the adventure, full of happiness and love."

Mom was- she was smiling when she said that, completely sincere.

Just like that, Yuki's entire worry seemed to drain away... mom and dad really _were_ fine, she realized...

She could actually go.

Yuki touched a hand to her heart, feeling warmer all of a sudden. "They were some adventures all right" she whispered, more content now, "Me, Ame, all of us- they were really fun. I wish my brother was here to share in them, like old times."

"We all do, Yuki" dad breathed in the driver's seat, soft. "We all do."

Mom continued to smile, touching dad's arm. "Ame's found his place though" she whispered, glancing up, probably imaging it, "And every now and then, just like today, he gives off some of the most beautiful howls."

Yuki just smiled, remembering how it echoed in the wind, and how it seemed to give chills too.

"Not that I don't disagree, but you realize that excludes me?" daddy teased; mom just laughed, pushing his arm slightly, but they both continued to laugh. Eventually it got 'bad' enough that no one could resist, and Yuki didn't try to; she felt better now than she had in awhile.

...

In what seemed like no time at all, they arrived at the junior high school - an impressive collection of buildings, one no doubt the main administration, while others were dorm buildings, or had other uses. Yuki was out first, and she just breathed out with interest, before suddenly feeling a little worried - but that's okay; it's literally her first time here, so she'd get used to everything.

She looked at mom and dad, who had their own smiles, having watched her reaction. "Looks even bigger up close" Yuki admitted, smiling- however, her attention was soon diverted when, among the new arrivals, she saw a familiar face:

"Souhei?"

They all looked; it was indeed him, trailing behind his mother and some guy (the new father?), the former seemingly holding a baby too. Souhei looked back briefly, began to look forward again before he double-taked + recognized them - he glanced at his mom, then quietly slipped away from them.

"Hey there, Yuki" he greeted, slowing to a stop three feet away. "You came by car?"

"This time" Yuki answered, glancing back. "I'm gonna live in the dorms though."

Souhei looked at her parents too, surprised, but after two seconds, realized they were all serious/accepting about that. "Wow" he breathed, blinking, before getting a little smile. "I mean, that's cool; so will I, and everything."

Dad then hummed a bit. "If you kids want, Hana and I can go register Yuki; let you two catch up" he offered, but mom was obviously trying to stifle a giggle.

Yuki groaned mentally ( _"Mom! Dad!"_ ), thinking they must recognize a potential moment or something - it's not really 'that'; she was simply glad for the chance to catch up.

Souhei seemed to pause, glancing at her briefly, yet nodded. "Uh, sure I guess" he answered graciously, before: "Yuki?"

Despite her inner thoughts, she smiled a bit. "Yeah" she agreed, looking at her parents, "Just try not to take too long."

"We'll do what we can" mom answered easily, dad nodding, even as they hurried off.

Souhei waited till they were out of earshot, though since he knew about her dad, that waiting period was longer than normal. "Let me guess; they're leaving us alone because they think there's a 'moment' going on?" he asked, entirely unembarrassed. "'That' type of moment, I mean?"

"Maybe" Yuki admitted, cheeks briefly turning pink. "Even if they didn't though, they were certainly acting like it; that was embarrassing."

"I understand" Souhei answered, before he moved over to the fountain, where she followed. "I'm actually a little envious of it, Yuki" he added, as they were both sitting down.

Yuki was surprised, before she remembered seeing Souhei's mom, the new baby, and what seemed to be the new father. "Does that mean-?" she started to ask, tentative, before she trailed off. "I mean, well-"

"Is my mom ignoring me?"

She fidgeted slightly at the brutally honest wording.

Souhei glanced up, letting out a slow breath. "Well, it's still the initial transition period, so things could change" he outlined, one hand upon his knee. "But thus far, it's not as bad as I expected - the new guy is actually nice enough, mom does talk to me outside of for practical reasons, if curt about it."

"And your new half-sibling?" Yuki asked slowly.

His lip curved slightly. "Loud, squabbling, makes it hard to sleep normally, just like all newborns" he said, but gentle, "I kinda wish we were fully brothers; he's adorable."

She was really surprised then, before slowly getting a grin. "At this point, many guys would 'threaten' that I never tell anyone they said that, or similar" she teased; Souhei merely rolled his eyes playfully, chuckling.

"Whatever" he waved off, quite easily.

Yuki briefly held a fist up, stifling her giggles, before putting them down. "So that means, you won't run away?" she asked, more serious now.

He considered that a bit, then tilted his head. "Don't get me wrong; I'm still prepared in case it does happen" he said, before making a sound. "But if it doesn't, well, I'll handle things as they come."

She opened her mouth to reply, until she saw mom and dad stepping out of the building - that had been quick. Souhei looked too, then gave her a little nod, and so she stood up, catching up to them. "Is everything taken care of?" she asked.

"Yup" mom answered, smiling as she rifled around in her bag. "Your dorm number, room key, map of the place- everything you need."

"And we heard the athletics department is interested in you, saying they have good instincts about you" dad added, very soft, except on that last part (he nearly looked ready to laugh). "They're gonna keep an eye out."

Yuki felt better, smiling- well, till Souhei tapped her back, turning her around quickly.

"Come on, look a little more cheerful, Yuki" he admonished, slightly teasing. "It's great news."

"I didn't say it wasn't, Souhei" she told him.

"So look happy then" he answered mildly.

"I _am_ happy" she protested a little. "I just want to make sure I think about this seriously."

Souhei raised an eyebrow briefly, but shrugged with a little lip curve. "Fair enough" he said lightly, before he looked behind her briefly, at her parents, "So... should I leave you alone? Say goodbye?"

Here it was; the moment had finally arrived... somehow, she managed a 'Mmh' in response. Souhei took it as his cue, nodding to her parents with a bow before he ran off a fair distance, leaving her to turn - mom and dad looked at her then, smiling, but she could tell everything else they were feeling.

"Mom" Yuki started-

-mom didn't let her finish; just hugged her, a little tight.

She slowly made a sound, but glad, holding her back.

"You'll be fine, Yuki" mom whispered, entirely happy as she pulled back, her eyes a little wet. "Plus, I think I've already said everything before, just yesterday and today. Don't you agree?"

Yuki couldn't help but giggle, a little overcome now. "You did mom" she whispered, hugging her again; mom didn't mind. "I love you."

Mom's grip got even tighter, in the good way. "I love you too, Yuki."

Seconds later, they let go - mom backed away, before:

"Looks like my turn then" dad breathed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Well Yuki- I can't match your mom in words, obviously" he continued, a little overplayed, which made them all laugh. "Heh, but that being said, I'm proud of you. Of course I am."

Her smile just turned softer, feeling even warmer. "Thanks dad" Yuki answered, before giggling again, "For you, that says a lot."

He gave her a fondly playful smile, bending down a bit. "Maybe" he admitted, gentle, "but you know everything I mean. That I love you."

In answer, she just hugged her dad tightly, who returned the favor with strong arms. "I do" Yuki breathed, "I love you too, dad."

Even without looking, she knew he was smiling; he was just like mom that way.

When she finally pulled away though, she found a surprise; mom had pulled out her camera, still smiling big. "Souhei!" she called over, to his surprise, though the full reaction was hard to tell. Yuki got the idea immediately though, and loved it; mom and dad would remember this day in that little scrapbook, and always look back on it fondly.

They'd be fine that way.

/

 _Home_

 _Dinnertime_

Balto slowly breathed out, feeling the wind in his hair - it was a nice day to relax, but they were both looking forward to one of their favorite dishes. He held a peach in his hands, one of a few left on their welcome mat when they came home... proof that Ame was indeed following his sister's words, keeping in touch occasionally, though it was twice-in-one-day for this case. It was almost a shame they couldn't keep the peaches forever- still, after looking awhile longer, Balto gently placed it on the threshold of the back slider doors. When he returned to the table, Hana was quick to come over, setting down two plates of shish-kebab, and the drinks to go along with it.

Just at the edge of the house, there was sniffing, before the peach was taken- but she remained kinda shy, or maybe determined, crawling back into the brush.

"How's our guest doing, Balto?" Hana asked, keeping her voice down; all this must seem new to her.

"Still trying to adjust, as expected" he whispered back, humming - their little guest being the nature center's she-wolf.

 _During infrequent visits over work, first Balto tried talking to her, asking how she liked it at the center. Well, she was understandably bored, despite everything, and their talks didn't go anywhere big for those first few years... then something changed, near the time Ame was making his decision. She recalled 'his pup', and how he talked of nature, plus how she couldn't relate to such things. His passion had awakened something within her, and so she slowly asked him about everything - he did his best to be honest, and her interest grew. That process had gone on for six months, until she revealed her internal conflict; part of her wished to remain here, where she'd be fed on a regular basis, but another wished to get things done by herself, even if things weren't a guarantee._

 _He wasn't sure, but he told her this was her choice - another four months went by, the she-wolf pondering this decision, discussing various things along the way. Part of that was the obvious aspect that she didn't have a clue about the wild, but he could teach her about some things, if she'd be willing; plenty of time to consider._

 _Still, the idea of breaking her out didn't sit well; it'd be hard to do. Hana agreed, but assured him throughout - if the she-wolf really wants to experience the wild, why should they say no?_

 _Plus sometimes there weren't easy choices - their move from the city being a prime example of that._

 _At ten-and-a-half months, the she-wolf then gave her decision... it took some very careful arranging, but they managed to set her free close to the year's end. Questions abounded, searches were made, the whole nine yards at the nature center, including on them (which they 'cooperated' with)- but no trace was ever found._

 _They worked to keep it that way-_

-but back to the present:

"Right now, I think this semi-approach is best for her" Balto continued, Hana slowly dipping her shish-kebab in her drink, just like old times. "She has a human home nearby, which is a familiar-ish element to her, while also surrounded by nature to get used to."

A moment passed, Hana eating a bit. "Where do you think she'll go in the future?" she asked gently.

"Who knows?" he breathed, humming; that tasted great. "She isn't ready just yet- as it surprisingly turned out, she's only seven years old, so there's time."

Her smile was soft. "When you've got her used to nature again, taught her everything you know" Hana whispered, entirely soft as she took his hand. "Will you send her to Ame?"

"Only as a student" Balto assured, also gentle, squeezing back. "He can teach her what I can't; I've told her that much. Anything else that may or may not happen, well, that isn't up to us."

Hana just hummed, but continued to eat- he did too in comfortable silence.

A howl sounded in the distance-

They both breathed out, looking at the mountaintop, from which the sound originated - but they just closed their eyes, listening, content in every sense.

-it lasted a good long while, not that they minded at all.

When they opened their eyes again, they felt even more relaxed than before, pretty much all smiles.

"It's been a crazy adventure" Hana whispered, toying with his fingers now.

Balto smiled, adding onto the 'action', "Who says we won't have others?" he asked, slightly teasing. She just looked at him in response, slightly playful - he relented with a chuckle, before humming again. "Well, either way, this last one was quite the ride" he admitted.

"Have we done our best, Balto?" Hana asked, her fingers pausing.

Somehow, he wasn't surprised to hear that - they were both proud of Ame and Yuki, but it still remained a fact that they had to let their kids go, one shortly after a sudden reveal as well. And now for the foreseeable future, they would look back upon the times they spent raising their kids; the good, the bad, and the crazy, cherishing them all.

Balto put down his skish-kebab, squeezing her hands with both of us.

"We did our best, Hana" he told her sincerely. "We raised them as best as we could, teaching them to choose their own paths, and both Yuki + Ame have grown up wonderfully."

Hana needed a few moments to wipe her eyes, but she never stopped smiling. "I don't think-" she started softly, "I didn't even know, h-how much I needed to hear that. We- heh, we messed up a bunch though."

"More than I can count" he added, soft as well. "But we still did well. And I know one more thing."

"What's that?" Hana breathed.

"No matter what happens next, I'll be content" he whispered. "Because I have you by my side."

Saying her look/smile softened was an understatement; still, she continued to toy with his fingers, now focused on his gemstone wedding ring. He easily returned the favor, watching how the light played off it, but mostly enjoying the warmth of her hand.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Balto" Hana whispered, entirely happy. "Having you by my side; it's all I want."

He leaned forward, just over the table. "And you'll get it" he whispered, a little inviting-

-Hana didn't waste any time, leaning toward him, before they met in a kiss.

Maybe it seemed simple, or even short, but everything passed between them in that one act; they were glad to share it. And more than that, when they pulled apart, he surprised Hana a little by holding his shish-kebab right in front of her, the meat just near her lips. A brief touch of pink appeared on her cheeks, fading away when she giggled, nibbling his food a little teasingly. She did the same thing with him of course, and he hummed before nibbling on her own stick, enjoying the taste... though he soon found her trying to playfully yank it away.

Their laughter soon ran through their little home; it was all they needed.

* * *

 **Expanding upon the ending statements made by Yuki, with a few additions as well. Hana and our Wolfman together; Yuki + Souhei at school; Ame to not quite be so lonely for a time, via teaching the she-wolf his knowledge...**

 **Sadly, this ends the retelling of the movie - but that being said, in the future there could be other fics ;) Meanwhile, happy New Years Eve + (early) Day**


End file.
